Prison

Pronunciation: /ˈprɪzən/

Definitions of prison

noun a building or institution where people are legally held as a punishment for crimes they have committed or while awaiting trial

Example Sentences

A1 The criminal was sent to prison for stealing.

A2 The prison guards keep a close watch on the inmates.

B1 Visiting hours at the prison are limited to weekends.

B2 The prison system in this country is in need of reform.

C1 The prison population has been steadily increasing over the years.

C2 He spent years studying the effects of long-term incarceration in prisons.

Examples of prison in a Sentence

formal The criminal was sentenced to ten years in prison for his actions.

informal I heard that Jake's brother is in prison for theft.

slang She's been locked up in the slammer for a month now.

figurative Being stuck in a toxic relationship can feel like being in an emotional prison.

Grammatical Forms of prison

• plural: prisons
• comparative: more prison
• superlative: most prison
• present tense: prisons
• future tense: will prison
• perfect tense: have prisoned
• continuous tense: is prisoning
• singular: prison
• positive degree: prison
• infinitive: to prison
• gerund: imprisoning
• participle: imprisoned

Origin and Evolution of prison

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'prison' originated from the Latin word 'prehendere' meaning 'to seize' or 'to arrest'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'prison' has evolved from simply a place of confinement for criminals to include various forms of correctional facilities for individuals convicted of crimes.