Definitions for prison
ˈprɪz ənprison

Princeton's WordNet(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. prison, prison house(noun)

   a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment

2. prison, prison house(noun)

   a prisonlike situation; a place of seeming confinement

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. prison(Noun)

   A place of long-term confinement for 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.

   Etymology: From prison, from prehensionem, accusative singular of prehensio, from prehendo

2. prison(Noun)

   Confinement in a prison.

   Prison was a harrowing experience for him.

   Etymology: From prison, from prehensionem, accusative singular of prehensio, from prehendo

3. prison(Noun)

   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.

   Etymology: From prison, from prehensionem, accusative singular of prehensio, from prehendo

4. prison(Verb)

   to imprison

   Etymology: From prison, from prehensionem, accusative singular of prehensio, from prehendo

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Prison(noun)

   a place where persons are confined, or restrained of personal liberty; hence, a place or state o/ confinement, restraint, or safe custody

   Etymology: [F., fr. L. prehensio, prensio, a seizing, arresting, fr. prehendre, prendere, to lay hold of, to seize. See Prehensile, and cf. Prize, n., Misprision.]

2. Prison(noun)

   specifically, a building for the safe custody or confinement of criminals and others committed by lawful authority

   Etymology: [F., fr. L. prehensio, prensio, a seizing, arresting, fr. prehendre, prendere, to lay hold of, to seize. See Prehensile, and cf. Prize, n., Misprision.]

3. Prison(verb)

   to imprison; to shut up in, or as in, a prison; to confine; to restrain from liberty

   Etymology: [F., fr. L. prehensio, prensio, a seizing, arresting, fr. prehendre, prendere, to lay hold of, to seize. See Prehensile, and cf. Prize, n., Misprision.]

4. Prison(verb)

   to bind (together); to enchain

   Etymology: [F., fr. L. prehensio, prensio, a seizing, arresting, fr. prehendre, prendere, to lay hold of, to seize. See Prehensile, and cf. Prize, n., Misprision.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Prison

   A prison, also known as gaol or jail, is a place in which people are physically confined and usually deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime. Other terms used are penitentiary, correctional facility, remand centre, detention centre, and gaol or jail. In some legal systems some of these terms have distinct meanings. A criminal suspect who has been charged with or is likely to be charged with criminal offense or Offence may be held on remand in prison if he or she is denied or unable to meet conditions of bail, or is unable or unwilling to post bail. A criminal defendant may also be held in prison while awaiting trial or a trial verdict. If found guilty, a defendant will be convicted and may receive a custodial sentence requiring imprisonment. As well as convicted or suspected criminals, prisons may be used for internment of those not charged with a crime. Prisons may also be used as a tool of political repression to detain political prisoners, prisoners of conscience, and "enemies of the state", particularly by authoritarian regimes. In times of war or conflict, prisoners of war may also be detained in prisons. A prison system is the organizational arrangement of the provision and operation of prisons.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Prison

   priz′n, n. a building for the confinement of criminals, &c.: a jail: any place of confinement.—v.t. to shut in prison, restrain.—n.pl. Pris′on-bars, whatever confines or restrains.—ns. Pris′oner, one arrested or confined in prison: a captive; Pris′oner's-, Pris′on-base, a game among boys, in which those who are caught in a certain way are confined as prisoners—a corr. of prison-bars; Pris′on-fē′ver, typhus-fever; Pris′on-house, place of confinement; Pris′onment (Shak.), confinement in a prison—usually imprisonment; Pris′on-ship; Pris′on-van, a closed conveyance for carrying prisoners.—State prisoner, one confined for a political offence in a state prison. [Fr.,—L. prensio, -onis, for prehensio, a seizing—prehendĕre, -hensum, to seize.]

The Roycroft Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. prison

   1. A place where any lady may have a baby without fearing society. 2. An institution where even crooks go wrong. 3. The House of a Thousand Tears. 4. The last resort of the obscure to achieve fame. 5. A banker's mess-hall. 6. A place where men go to take the vow of chastity, poverty and obedience. 7. An example of a Socialist's Paradise, where equality prevails, everything is supplied, and competition is eliminated.

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. prison

   The prison symbol -- In this Symbols.com article you will learn about the meaning of the prison symbol and its characteristic.

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'prison' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1611

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'prison' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2483

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'prison' in Nouns Frequency: #638

Anagrams for prison »

1. prions

2. porins

3. spinor

How to pronounce prison?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say prison in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of prison in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of prison in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of prison in a Sentence

1. Caterina Heyck Puyana:

   Towards the end of last year we began investigating the possible disappearance and dismemberment of an undetermined number of people at La Modelo prison in Bogota, the victims were inmates, visitors and people who had nothing to do with the prison. Their remains were thrown into the drain pipes of the sewer system.

2. Li Fangping:

   Normally speaking they are looking at five to 15 years (in prison).

3. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan:

   Inmates were literally running this prison, maryland taxpayers were unwittingly underwriting a massive criminal enterprise.

4. Waleed Shahid:

   Harris will have to figure out how she'll convince the (progressive) movement that she's their champion when many organizers and activists are on record criticizing her approach as attorney general on issues related to prison overcrowding, police shootings and marijuana legalization.

5. Steven Frankel:

   In any other place, he wouldn't be facing life in prison, he never hurt anybody, he never solicited anybody to hurt anybody.

Images & Illustrations of prison

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