Prison Slang

verb to physically harm or injure someone by hitting or attacking them repeatedly

adjective describing the state of being physically harmed or injured by someone

• The victim was severely beaten up by a group of assailants.
• I heard that John got beat up by some bullies at school.
• Those guys are going to get beat up if they keep messing with the wrong people.
• The team was mentally beaten up after losing the championship game.

noun a period of time spent in prison as a punishment for a crime

• The convicted criminal will have to do time in prison for their actions.
• I heard that John got caught stealing and now he has to do time in jail.
• If you get caught, you'll have to do some serious time behind bars.
• Sometimes we have to do time in difficult situations before things get better.

noun a thin liquid food of oatmeal or other meal boiled in milk or water

• The orphanage served gruel to the children for breakfast every day.
• I can't believe you actually like eating that gruel for lunch.
• I wouldn't touch that gruel with a ten-foot pole.
• The monotony of his daily routine felt like a never-ending bowl of gruel.

noun a person who has been in jail or prison, especially repeatedly

• The judge sentenced the repeat offender to serve time as a jailbird.
• I can't believe my cousin turned into a jailbird after getting involved in that robbery.
• That jailbird always seems to find trouble wherever he goes.
• She felt like a jailbird trapped in her own circumstances, unable to break free.

noun a period of time spent in prison as a punishment for a crime

• The convicted criminal will have to serve time in prison for their crimes.
• He's going to serve time for what he did, no way around it.
• Dude, I heard he's gonna serve some serious time behind bars.
• If you keep making poor choices, you'll end up serving time in your own personal prison of regret.

noun a person who secretly gives information to the authorities or to someone in authority

verb to inform on someone; to secretly give information to the authorities or to someone in authority

• The witness decided to come forward and report the crime, acting as a snitch in the investigation.
• I heard that Sarah was the snitch who told the teacher about our plan to skip class.
• Don't be a snitch and tell mom about the party we're planning.
• The leak in the company was like a snitch, revealing confidential information to competitors.

noun a derogatory term used to describe a contemptible or untrustworthy person

• The ornithologist identified the bird species as a shitbird.
• That guy is such a shitbird, always causing trouble.
• I can't stand that shitbird, he's always talking trash.
• The project manager called the lazy team member a shitbird for not pulling their weight.

noun a slang term for a jail or prison

• The suspect was taken to the hoosegow to await trial.
• I heard they finally caught the guy and threw him in the hoosegow.
• He spent the night in the hoosegow after getting into a bar fight.
• Being stuck in traffic felt like being in a hoosegow with no way out.

noun a ceremonial knife or dagger used in Hindu worship and ritual

• The prisoner used a shiv to threaten the guard.
• I heard he made a shiv out of a toothbrush in jail.
• Watch out for that guy, he's known to carry a shiv.
• Her words were like a verbal shiv, cutting deep into his confidence.