reform school

[ ri-fawrm skool ]

noun

1. (no longer in official use) reformatory ( def 2 ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of reform school¹

An Americanism dating back to 1855–60

Example Sentences

Sympathetic docs The American Meme and This Is Paris—in which Hilton reflected on abuse she allegedly suffered at a series of residential reform schools—have added dimensions to her image, rescuing her from the realm of pop-culture caricatures.

From Time

The topics of the previous books were both deeply serious, tackling American slavery and a treacherous real-life reform school, respectively.

From Time

Did you meet any teenagers whose behavior or actions seemed at all worthy (on any level) of being sent to a reform school?

From The Daily Beast

Rotherham had demonstrated outright hostility to his previous efforts to reform school-lunch nutrition.

From The Daily Beast

Such were the public sentiment and sense of honor, even in a reform school.

From Project Gutenberg

In January, 1871, he was appointed an officer of the reform school at Waukesha, Wisconsin.

From Project Gutenberg

Three were sent to the penitentiary, seven to the reform school and fourteen let go temporarily on good behavior.

From Project Gutenberg

A hotel without women would be almost as cheerful as a reform school.

From Project Gutenberg

Tell him you don't want to send them to the reform school, but would like to have them put under the discipline of a big ship.

From Project Gutenberg