jail

[ jeyl ]

noun

1. a prison, especially one for the detention of persons awaiting trial or convicted of minor offenses.

verb (used with object)

1. to take into or hold in lawful custody; imprison.

jail

/ dʒeɪl /

noun

1. a place for the confinement of persons convicted and sentenced to imprisonment or of persons awaiting trial to whom bail is not granted
2. get out of jail informal.
   get out of jailget out of jail free to get out of a difficult situation

verb

1. tr to confine in prison

Derived Forms

• ˈjail-like, adjective
• ˈjailless, adjective

Other Words From

• jaila·ble adjective
• jailless adjective
• jaillike adjective
• non·jaila·ble adjective
• re·jail verb (used with object)
• un·jailed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of jail¹

1225–75; Middle English gaiole, jaiole, jaile < Old North French gaiole, Old French jaiole cage < Vulgar Latin *gaviola, variant of *caveola, diminutive of Latin cavea cage; -ole ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of jail¹

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

Example Sentences

As this list shows, punishments typically run to a short-ish jail sentence and/or a moderately hefty fine.

From The Daily Beast

Violators face up to nine months in jail or as much as $10,000 in fines.

From The Daily Beast

There are millions of stories that end with black boys in jail cells.

From The Daily Beast

Brinsley got out of jail last July, and was desperate and aimless.

From The Daily Beast

Some of them, including Kurnosova, escaped the country as they faced a possible jail term for their opposition activity.

From The Daily Beast

Why have I never heard until the day before yesterday of your suffering yourself to be cooped up in jail?

From Project Gutenberg

They say that if he gets a judgment against you, Elder, he will put you in jail, and all that; but of course that couldn't be.

From Project Gutenberg

Casey was arrested and conveyed to jail under great popular excitement.

From Project Gutenberg

For these people, under the older dispensation, there was nothing but the poorhouse, the jail or starvation by the roadside.

From Project Gutenberg

On the Mabolo road there is a Leper Hospital, and the ruins of a partly well-built jail which was never completed.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• confine
• detain
• hold
• imprison
• lock up
• sentence
• take away