bridewell

[ brahyd-wel, -wuhl ]

/ ˈbraɪdˌwɛl, -wəl /

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noun British.

a prison.

QUIZ

TAKE JOY IN ACING THIS QUIZ ON “PRIDE” SYNONYMS

Hold your head up high as you embark on this quiz that explores some of the synonyms and meanings of “pride.”

Question 1 of 7

What does "dignity" mean?

showing self-respect

treating others with kindness

acting selfishly

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Origin of bridewell

First recorded in 1545–55; after a prison that formerly stood near the church of St. Bride in London

Words nearby bridewell

bridal wreath, bride, bridegroom, bride price, bridesmaid, bridewell, Bridey, bridezilla, bridge, bridgeboard, bridge chair

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use bridewell in a sentence

Bridewell, the name of the famous prison, also came from the name of a well dedicated to St. Bride.
Stories That Words Tell Us|Elizabeth O'Neill
Th' coort wud give him a letther of inthroduction to th' bridewell an' he cud stay there f'r two hundhred days.
Mr. Dooley Says|Finley Dunne
Forty or fifty night-walkers were sent every week to Bridewell, and numbers were induced to emigrate to the colonies.
Introduction to the Science of Sociology|Robert E. Park
He underwent an examination; but, refusing to make any confession, he was sent to Tothill-fields Bridewell.
The Chronicles of Crime or The New Newgate Calendar. v. 1/2|Camden Pelham

He was immediately conveyed to Tothill-fields Bridewell, where he remained till he was again sent out of the country.
The Chronicles of Crime or The New Newgate Calendar. v. 1/2|Camden Pelham

British Dictionary definitions for bridewell

bridewell

/ (ˈbraɪdˌwɛl, -wəl) /

noun

a house of correction; jail, esp for minor offences

Word Origin for bridewell

C16: after Bridewell (originally, St Bride's Well), a house of correction in London

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012