jail
jail Lexical Profile
jail Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A place for the confinement of people accused or convicted of a crime, typically operated by local governments for short-term sentences or pre-trial detention.
"The suspect was held in the county jail overnight before his arraignment."
• verb
To confine or incarcerate someone in a correctional facility as a legal penalty or while awaiting trial.
"The judge decided to jail the defendant due to the high risk of him fleeing the country."
Word Nuance & Usage
While often used interchangeably with 'prison', in the United States legal system, a 'jail' is typically a local facility for temporary detention or short sentences, whereas a 'prison' is a state or federal facility for long-term sentences.
• Rhymes for jail
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'jaile' or 'geile', borrowed from Old French 'jaiole' (cage, prison). This ultimately derives from the Late Latin 'caveola', meaning 'little cage', a diminutive of 'cavea' (cage, enclosure).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.