Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1100-1200
Language: Old French
Origin: Latin prehensio 'act of seizing', from prehendere; PREHENSILE

prison

 noun
     
Related topics: Jail and punishment
pris‧on S2 W2
1 [uncountable and countable]SCJ a building where people are kept as a punishment for a crime, or while they are waiting to go to court for their trial [= jail; ↪ prisoner, imprison]COLLOCATIONS COLLOCATIONS
in prison out of prison put somebody in prison/send somebody to prison release somebody from prison/let somebody out of prison get out of prison escape from prison go to prison prison sentence (=a punishment which consists of a period of time in prison) prison officer/warder (=someone who works in a prison and guards the prisoners) prison cell (=a prisoner's room in a jail)
He visits his Dad in prison every week.
Ricky has been out of prison for 3 years now.
They'll probably put him in prison for a long time.
Helen was sent to prison for attacking a man with a knife.
The two men were arrested only a week after they were released from prison.
Three terrorists escaped from Brixton Prison.
an increase in the number of women going to prison
Mr Gunn received a ten year prison sentence.
! Do not say 'the prison' unless you are referring to a particular building: She was sent to prison. | He spent five years in prison. | They live opposite the prison.
2 [uncountable]SCJ the system that deals with keeping people in a prison:
Does prison deter criminals from offending again?
3 [countable] an unpleasant place or situation which it is difficult to escape from:
The farm felt like a prison for her.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
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