Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Prison
Pris′on
(?; 277)
, Noun.
[F., fr. L. ,
prehensio
, prensio
, a seizing, arresting, fr. prehendre
, prendere
, to lay hold of, to seize. See Prehensile
, and cf. Prize
, Noun.
Misprision
.] 1.
A place where persons are confined, or restrained of personal liberty; hence, a place or state o[GREEK] confinement, restraint, or safe custody.
Bring my soul out of
prison
, that I may praise thy name. Ps. cxlii. 7.
The tyrant Aeolus, . . .
With power imperial, curbs the struggling winds,
And sounding tempests in dark
With power imperial, curbs the struggling winds,
And sounding tempests in dark
prisons
binds. Dryden.
2.
Specifically, a building for the safe custody or confinement of criminals and others committed by lawful authority.
Pris′on
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Prisoned
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Prisoning
.] 1.
To imprison; to shut up in, or as in, a prison; to confine; to restrain from liberty.
The
prisoned
eagle dies for rage. Sir W. Scott.
His true respect will
prison
false desire. Shakespeare
2.
To bind (together); to enchain.
[Obs.]
Sir William Crispyn with the duke was led
Together
Together
prisoned
. Robert of Brunne.
Webster 1828 Edition
Prison
PRISON
,Noun.
1.
In a general sense, any place of confinement or involuntary restraint; but appropriately, a public building for the confinement or safe custody of debtors and criminals committed by process of law; a jail. Originally, a prison, as Lord Coke observes, was only a place of safe custody; but it is now employed as a place of punishment. We have state-prisons, for the confinement of criminals by way of punishment.2.
Any place of confinement or restraint. The tyrant Aeolus,
With power imperial curbs the struggling winds,
And sounding tempests in dark prisons binds.
3.
In Scripture, a low, obscure, afflicted condition. Eccles.4.4.
The cave where David was confined. Ps.142.5.
A state of spiritual bondage. Is.42.