hoosegow

Or hoos·gow

[hoos-gou]

noun

Slang.

1. a jail.

hoosegow

/ ˈhuːsɡaʊ /

noun

1. a slang word for jail

Word History and Origins

Origin of hoosegow¹

1860–65, < Mexican Spanish jusgado jail ( Spanish: court of justice, originally past participle of juzgar to judge) < Latin jūdicātum, equivalent to jūdic- (stem of jūdex ) judge + -ātum -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of hoosegow¹

C20: from Mexican Spanish jusgado prison, from Spanish: court of justice, from juzgar to judge, from Latin judicāre, from judex a _judge ; compare _jug

Example Sentences

A Rochester, New York pawn shop owner is headed to the hoosegow after selling more than $6 million in goods stolen from area retailers on Amazon and eBay, the U.S.

Read more on Washington Times

In prison, there are Keene’s encounters with a real-life mob boss and a manipulative guard to add tension, and just enough mayhem to remind you that this is no ordinary hoosegow.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

See who got away with their ill-gotten gains and who got sent to the hoosegow in the new docuseries “Super Heists.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He was tackled by a gendarme in the paint on the 76ers’ half of the court, unceremoniously picked up and hustled down a Capital One Arena tunnel and, hopefully, to the nearest hoosegow.

Read more on Washington Post

Even a picture of me holding the very Trump piñata head that currently put me in the digital hoosegow.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• penitentiary