The method would come to be known as “The Pennsylvania System” and the institution “a penitentiary.”
Philadelphia coined the term ‘penitentiary’—and set the tone for prison reform.
Walking past a large data center building, painted yellow like a penitentiary, I asked what went on inside.
“I rediscovered my own humanity in the penitentiary,” he admits.
Were they all mad—was he not standing with one foot in the penitentiary?
He is to be beaten, understand, if we have to send him to the penitentiary on an old issue to do it.
But the ‘strays’ are ‘crooks,’ and their homes the penitentiary.
By his own admission he was against the law, a “crook,” and—the penitentiary was looming.
“If all we hear is true, his end will be the penitentiary,” she declared with decision.
I tell you if Charlie goes to the penitentiary I go with him.
early 15c., "place of punishment for offenses against the church," from Medieval Latin penitentiaria, from fem. of penitentiarius (adj.) "of penance," from Latin paenitentia "penitence" (see penitence). Meaning "house of correction" (originally an asylum for prostitutes) is from 1806, short for penitentiary house (1776). Slang shortening pen is attested from 1884.
