Jail

/dʒeɪl/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A place for the confinement of persons held in lawful custody, especially those awaiting trial or serving a sentence.

After the judge's verdict, he was taken directly to jail.

A place where people are kept as punishment for a crime.

The thief was sentenced to two years in jail.

The condition of being confined or imprisoned.

The criminal lived in fear of returning to jail.

verb

To put someone in jail; to confine or imprison.

The police decided to jail the suspect until further investigations.

To arrest or detain someone.

He was jailed for refusing to pay his fines.

Middle English 'gaile', from Old French 'jaiole', derived from Latin 'cavea' (cage).

jail time

The period during which someone is incarcerated.

go to jail

To be incarcerated as a result of legal action.

jailbird

A person who has been in jail.

bail

Temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial.

conviction

A formal declaration that someone is guilty of a crime.

incarceration

The state of being confined in prison.

The slammer

After getting caught for speeding, he said he’d rather not end up in the slammer.

The clink

He spent the weekend in the clink for public intoxication.

The pokey

She said she would never go back to the pokey after her last experience.