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bridewell

[ brahyd-wel, -wuhl ]
/ ˈbraɪdˌwɛl, -wəl /

noun British.

a prison.

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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. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for bridewell

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