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jailhouse lawyer
[ jeyl-hous law-yer, loi-er ]
/ ˈdʒeɪlˌhaʊs ˈlɔ yər, ˈlɔɪ ər /
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noun
a prisoner who has studied law on their own while serving time, is knowledgeable about technical legal matters, and gives legal advice, especially to fellow prisoners.
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THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Origin of jailhouse lawyer
An Americanism dating back to 1925–30; Americanism
Words nearby jailhouse lawyer
jailbreak, jail delivery, jailer, jail fever, jailhouse, jailhouse lawyer, Jain, Jainism, Jaipur, Jajapura, Jakarta
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use jailhouse lawyer in a sentence
A former college psychology student, Longoria fancied himself a jailhouse lawyer.