Jail

Pronunciation: /dʒeɪl/

Definitions of jail

noun a place of confinement, typically for those awaiting trial or convicted of a crime

Example Sentences

A1 He went to jail for stealing.

A2 The criminal was sentenced to jail for five years.

B1 The jail was overcrowded, with inmates sleeping on the floor.

B2 She visited her friend in jail every weekend.

C1 The jail system in this country needs serious reform.

C2 The documentary shed light on the harsh realities of life in jail.

Examples of jail in a Sentence

formal The criminal was sentenced to ten years in jail for his crimes.

informal He's going to be stuck in jail for a long time.

slang She ended up in the slammer for the night.

figurative Being trapped in a toxic relationship can feel like being in emotional jail.

Grammatical Forms of jail

• past tense: jailed
• plural: jails
• comparative: more jail
• superlative: most jail
• present tense: jails
• future tense: will jail
• perfect tense: have jailed
• continuous tense: jailing
• singular: jail
• positive degree: jail
• infinitive: to jail
• gerund: jailing
• participle: jailed

Origin and Evolution of jail

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old French

Story behind the word: The word 'jail' originated from the Old French word 'jaiole' which means a cage or a prison.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'jail' has come to be used in English to refer to a place of detention for those accused or convicted of a crime. The word has evolved to become a common term in the English language for a facility used for the confinement of individuals.