prison
verbEtymology 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.
1
To imprison.
prison
noun/ˈpɹɪzn̩/ · [pʰɹ̠̊ɪzn̩]
Etymology 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.
1
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.
2
Confinement in prison.
- Prison was a harrowing experience for him.
3
Colloquial, Figuratively 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.
- Derived terms
67 terms
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