prison

Từ điển Oxford Learners Wordfinder Dictionary

1 prisons
2 people in prisons
3 going to prison
4 staying in prison
5 leaving prison
see also CRIME, PUNISH

1 prisons
- a building where criminals are kept as a punishment: prison (AmE penitentiary), jail (BrE also gaol)
a maximum-security prison (= a special prison for very dangerous prisoners)
- a prison for prisoners of war or political prisoners that has a number of buildings inside a high fence: prison camp
- a prison camp where political prisoners are kept in very bad conditions: concentration camp
- an underground prison, for example in a castle: dungeon
- a small room in a prison or police station where prisoners are locked up: cell
- one of the long, thin pieces of metal on the doors and windows of cells that stop prisoners from escaping: bar

2 people in prisons
- a person who is being kept in prison: prisoner, inmate
- a person who has been put in prison because of his/her political views or actions: political prisoner
- a soldier who is kept in prison during a war: prisoner of war
- a person whose job is to watch over prisoners and stop them from escaping: prison officer, (BrE) (prison) warder, (AmE) (prison) guard
- a person who manages or controls a prison: (prison) governor, (AmE) (prison) warden

3 going to prison
- to put sb in prison: imprison sb, jail sb, send* sb to prison/jail
She was imprisoned for her political beliefs. ◎ He was sent to prison for three years.
- the state of being put or kept in prison: imprisonment (noun U)
- to be sent to prison: go* to prison/jail
- to tell sb who has been found guilty of a crime what his/her punishment will be: sentence sb (to sth); their punishment: sentence
He was sentenced to ten years with hard labour. ◎ He received a long prison sentence.
- to catch sb and keep them as a prisoner: capture sb, take* sb prisoner/captive; noun: capture
He escaped just six weeks after he was captured. ◎ Many soldiers were taken prisoner. ◎ My uncle often told us the story of his capture during the war.

4 staying in prison
- if sb is kept in a prison, they are in prison, (informal) behind bars, (informal) inside
He's been in prison for five months. ◎ I won't be happy until the killer is safely behind bars. ◎ Her dad's inside for armed robbery.
- to spend a period of time in prison as a punishment: serve ※€¦
She is serving six years for attempted murder.
- the length of time that sb must stay in prison: term
a five-month term
- staying in prison for a very long time or until you die: life imprisonment (noun U), life sentence
He was given a life sentence for killing a policeman.
- a punishment where you stay in a cell on your own and do not meet other prisoners or staff: solitary confinement
- to keep sb as a prisoner and not allow them to escape: hold* sb prisoner/captive
After being captured by terrorists, she was held prisoner for two months.

5 leaving prison
- no longer in prison: free, out
He'll be free in three weeks. ◎ She's been out of prison for three weeks.
- to allow sb to leave prison: release sb, set* sb free, free sb/sth (from sth)
She was released after six months. ◎ The judge ordered that the man be set free.
- the act of freeing sb or being freed: release (from sth)
The release of the hostages took place last night.
- to pay money to the court so that sb can be free until the start of a trial: bail sb out; the money that you pay: bail (noun U)
- to get free from prison: escape (from sth), break* out (of sth); nouns: escape, breakout
Two prisoners were killed as they tried to escape. ◎ Twenty men broke out just after midnight; none so far have been recaptured. ◎ There was a mass breakout by prisoners in section D.
※ more on escaping ESCAPE
※—† MORE ...
- to release a prisoner before the end of his or her prison sentence on the condition that he/she behaves well: parole sb; noun (U): parole
She was released on parole.