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jail
[ jeyl ]
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.
jail
/ 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
- ˈjailless, adjective
- ˈjail-like, adjective
Other Words From
- jaila·ble adjective
- jailless adjective
- jaillike adjective
- non·jaila·ble adjective
- re·jail verb (used with object)
- un·jailed adjective
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of jail1
Example Sentences
He was sentenced to nine years in jail, including time spent on remand, and under the previous rules would have been released on licence at the half-way stage.
The memories of her time inside the jail are too much to bear.
The man in charge of a review of the prisons crisis says building more jails is not the answer and a more "strategic" approach is needed to free up space.
In newly released audio recorded while he was in jail and featured in a new documentary, Manson appears to speak about previously unknown killings.
Two women have been jailed for their part in a monkey torture ring and behaviour described by the judge as "depraved, sickening and wicked".
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More About Jail
What is a basic definition of jail?
A jail is a building that houses prisoners and people accused of crimes, especially minor crimes. Jail also means to imprison for committing a crime or to lawfully detain a person.
A jail is a building where criminals or people accused of crimes are housed. Jails are usually small buildings that keep prisoners only until they go to trial or for criminals with short punishments. Typically, a prisoner only spends around 90 days in a jail. A person accused of a more serious crime may be kept in a jail until their trial or until they are transferred to a larger facility. The phrase “in jail” often means a person is spending time in a jail. A person who manages a jail or puts a person in a jail is called a jailer.
- Real-life examples: In the United States, jails are usually managed at the local level, such as by a town or county. A person who commits a minor offense such as being drunk in public or trespassing may be sentenced to spend time in a county jail.
- Used in a sentence: After a wild night, the partygoers woke up the next morning in the city jail.
As a verb, jail means to imprison a person for a crime as allowed under the law. This sense specifically refers to legal imprisonment, usually by police officers, rather than by kidnapping or abduction.
- Real-life examples: If a person is arrested by police, they are usually jailed until they are taken to trial. Depending on the judge’s ruling, they may be jailed again as punishment for a crime.
- Used in a sentence: The police quickly jailed the men who were caught trying to steal a car.
Jail can easily be confused for prison, and the two are often used interchangeably when referring to lawful imprisonment in general.
In the United States, a prison is managed by a state or the federal government and typically holds prisoners convicted of serious crimes who have very long sentences. Prisons are larger, usually better funded, and have much tighter security than jails. Prison can also be used more generally to refer to any place a person is confined, like a basement or in your own head. Jail is specifically a place for prisoners or people accused of crimes.
Gaol is a variant spelling of jail used mostly in British English.
Where does jail come from?
The first records of jail come from the 1200s. It ultimately comes from the Vulgar Latin caveola, from the Latin cavea, meaning “cage” or “enclosure.”
Did you know … ?
What are some other forms related to jail?
- gaol (alternative spelling)
- jailable (adjective)
- jailless (adjective)
- jaillike (adjective)
- nonjailable (adjective)
What are some synonyms for jail?
What are some words that share a root or word element with jail?
What are some words that often get used in discussing jail?
What are some words jail may be commonly confused with?
How is jail used in real life?
Jail commonly refers to a place that police keep prisoners or people awaiting trial.
The true definition of embarrassment is when you work at a jail and have 3 of your family members arrested in the same week 😅
— Jo (@jlhorton7897) November 20, 2020
NEW: Ghislaine Maxwell to offer $28.5 million bond in effort to get out of jail. https://t.co/ZXEBXb8Hfb
— ABC News (@ABC) December 11, 2020
Try using jail!
True or False?
A jail is a building that houses people who are lawfully imprisoned.
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