move one's bowels

move one's bowels (third-person singular simple present moves one's bowels, present participle moving one's bowels, simple past and past participle moved one's bowels)

1. (euphemistic) To excrete feces from one's bowels: to defecate.
   • 1958, Marion E. Faegre et al., Child Care and Training, 8th ed., Minnesota Press Archival Editions, →ISBN, page 99:

     Too great emphasis on privacy in connection with the eliminative functions may, in some instances, result in a child's inability to urinate or move his bowels in an unfamiliar setting.

   • 1980 October 5, Tony Kornheiser, “Ali Not Oblivious To the Obvious”, in Washington Post, retrieved 26 July 2015:

     Three days before the fight he was eating fruit. . . . "Keeps my system regular," he said. ". . . Keeps you from getting old, moving your bowels regular."

   • 2013 November 27, Joyce Wadler, “Bad Thanksgiving”, in New York Times, retrieved 26 July 2015:

     In the middle of the night the woman moved her bowels. The sharp stink of it pervaded the room.

• See Thesaurus:defecate

• bowel movement