work camp

American  

noun

1. a camp for prisoners sentenced to labor, especially to outdoor labor such as roadbuilding or farming.

2. a volunteer project in which members of a church, service organization, etc., work together in aid of some worthy cause.

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work camp British  

noun

1. a camp set up for young people who voluntarily do manual work on a worthwhile project

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Etymology

Origin of work camp

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

In 1994, he faced a three-year sentence in a juvenile work camp until Boyle intervened.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 21, 2024

Surge Enterprises has an exciting new assignment for Ben at a work camp, where he’ll be farming words for future newsletter editions.

From Slate • Jan. 13, 2024

Instead of freeing Mr. Humphrey, as he was legally bound to do, the parish sheriff transferred him to a state-run work camp outside Shreveport, where he stayed until he was released on May 13, 2019.

From New York Times • Dec. 11, 2022

The work camp residents said it was unfair to lose their homes because of an accident.

From Washington Post • Jan. 1, 2020

The new work camp sits at the edge of a rice field and is surrounded by forest.

From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung