prison
A place or institution where people are held against their will, in the US especially for long-term confinement, as of those convicted of serious crimes or otherwise considered undesirable by the government.
Noun
- A place or institution where people are held against their will, in the US especially for long-term confinement, as of those convicted of serious crimes or otherwise considered undesirable by the government.
- The cold stone walls of the prison had stood for over a century.
Hypernyms: correctional facility correctional institution
- Confinement in prison.
- Prison was a harrowing experience for him.
Synonyms: imprisonment
- Any restrictive environment, such as a harsh academy or home.
- The academy was a prison for many of its students because of its strict teachers.
Origin
From Middle English prisoun, prison, from Old English prisūn, a borrowing from Old French prison, from Latin prehensiōnem, accusative singular of prehensiō, from the verb prehendō. Doublet of prehension.
Forms
Derived
antiprison cryoprison debtors' prison dispersal prison disprison emprison enprison imprison in prison megaprison military prison nonprison one-bar prison open prison passport prison postprison post prison Prislam Prisneyland prisonable prison bars prison base prison bitch prison-bound
Verb
- To imprison.