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workhouse

[ wurk-hous ]

noun

, plural work·hous·es [wurk, -hou-ziz].
  1. a house of correction.
  2. British. (formerly) a poorhouse in which paupers were given work.
  3. Obsolete. a workshop.


workhouse

/ ˈwɜːkˌhaʊs /

noun

  1. (formerly in England) an institution maintained at public expense where able-bodied paupers did unpaid work in return for food and accommodation
  2. (in the US) a prison for petty offenders serving short sentences at manual labour
“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


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Word History and Origins

Origin of workhouse1

before 1100; Middle English werkhous, Old English weorchūs workshop. See work, house
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Example Sentences

It is sad to find how many of the old favourites of the music-hall fall upon evil times, and even die in the workhouse.

The little bullet-headed Jim was drafted off to the workhouse school, and from thence to a small fishing-smack.

The Central Authority was directed to make rules, etc., "for the education of the children" in the workhouse.

Inside the workhouse, the "able-bodied" (in the workhouse sense) are divided simply into male and female.

A more difficult question was whether a man could continue to receive relief in the workhouse if his wife insisted on leaving it.

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