jail
A place or institution for the confinement of persons held against their will in lawful custody or detention, especially (in US usage) a place where people are held for minor offenses or with reference to some future judicial proceeding.
Noun 4 meanings
A place or institution for the confinement of persons held against their will in lawful custody or detention, especially (in US usage) a place where people are held for minor offenses or with reference to some future judicial proceeding.
“serve time in jail”
Confinement in a jail.
The condition created by the requirement that a horse claimed in a claiming race not be run at another track for some period of time (usually 30 days).
In dodgeball and related games, the area where players who have been struck by the ball are confined.
Verb 1 meaning
To imprison, incarcerate, enjail.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English gayole, borrowed from Anglo-Norman jaiole, from Late Latin caveola, from Latin cavea (“cage”) + -ola (diminutive ending). Doublet of caveola and related to cage. More at cajole.
Similar and opposite words
JAIL at a glance
JAIL has 4 letters and scores 11 points in Scrabble (J 8 + A 1 + I 1 + L 1) and 14 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #2,337 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with jail
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