prison

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A building where criminals are kept locked up as punishment.

   He spent five years in prison for robbery.

2. 2
   noun

   The punishment of being kept in such a place.

   Prison changed him, and he came out a quieter man.

3. 3
   noun

   Any situation that feels restrictive and that you cannot easily escape.

   Without a car, the remote village felt like a prison.

Common collocations

• local prison Adjective + noun
• escape prison Verb + noun
• leave prison Verb + noun
• high-security prison Adjective + noun
• maximum-security prison Adjective + noun
• open prison Adjective + noun
• avoid prison Verb + noun
• face prison Verb + noun

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.

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