jail
[ jeyl ]
/ dʒeɪl /
noun
a prison, especially one for the detention of persons awaiting trial or convicted of minor offenses.
verb (used with object)
to take into or hold in lawful custody; imprison.
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Also
British,
gaol.
Origin of jail
OTHER WORDS FROM jail
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH jail
jail prisonWords nearby jail
jahvist,
jahwism,
jai,
jai alai,
jai hind,
jail,
jail delivery,
jail fever,
jailbait,
jailbird,
jailbreak
Example sentences from the Web for jail
British Dictionary definitions for jail
jail
gaol
/ (dʒeɪl) /
noun
a place for the confinement of persons convicted and sentenced to imprisonment or of persons awaiting trial to whom bail is not granted
get out of jail or get out of jail free informal
to get out of a difficult situation
verb
(tr)
to confine in prison
Derived forms of jail
jailless or gaolless, adjective jail-like or gaol-like, adjectiveWord Origin for jail
C13: from Old French
jaiole cage, from Vulgar Latin
caveola (unattested), from Latin
cavea enclosure; see
cage : the two spellings derive from the forms of the word that developed in two different areas of France, and the spelling
gaol represents a pronunciation in use until the 17th century