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prison |
5 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Prison \Pris"on\, v. 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. --Shak. 2. To bind (together); to enchain. [Obs.] Sir William Crispyn with the duke was led Together prisoned. --Robert of Brunne From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Prison \Pris"on\ (?; 277), n. [F., fr L. prehensio, prensio a seizing, arresting, fr prehendre prendere, to lay hold of to seize. See {Prehensile}, and cf {Prize}, n., {Misprision}.] 1. A place where persons are confined, or restrained of personal liberty; hence a place or state o? confinement, restraint, or safe custody. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name --Ps. cxlii 7. The tyrant [AE]olus, . . . 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. {Prison bars}, or {Prison base}. See {Base}, n., 24. {Prison breach}. (Law) See Note under 3d {Escape}, n., 4. {Prison house}, a prison. --Shak. {Prison ship} (Naut.), a ship fitted up for the confinement of prisoners. {Prison van}, a carriage in which prisoners are conveyed to and from prison. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: prison n 1: a building where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment [syn: {prison house}] 2: a prisonlike situation; a place of seeming confinement [syn: {prison house}] From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]: Prison The first occasion on which we read of a prison is in the history of Joseph in Egypt. Then Potiphar, "Joseph's master, took him and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound" (Gen. 39:20-23). The Heb. word here used (sohar) means properly a round tower or fortress. It seems to have been a part of Potiphar's house, a place in which state prisoners were kept. The Mosaic law made no provision for imprisonment as a punishment. In the wilderness two persons were "put in ward" (Lev. 24:12; Num. 15:34), but it was only till the mind of God concerning them should be ascertained. Prisons and prisoners are mentioned in the book of Psalms (69:33; 79:11; 142:7). Samson was confined in a Philistine prison (Judg. 16:21, 25). In the subsequent history of Israel frequent references are made to prisons (1 Kings 22:27; 2 Kings 17:4; 25:27, 29; 2 Chr. 16:10; Isa. 42:7; Jer. 32:2). Prisons seem to have been common in New Testament times (Matt. 11:2; 25:36, 43). The apostles were put into the "common prison" at the instance of the Jewish council (Acts 5:18, 23; 8:3); and at Philippi Paul and Silas were thrust into the "inner prison" (16:24; comp. 4:3; 12:4, 5). From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]: PRISON, n. A place of punishments and rewards. The poet assures us that -- "Stone walls do not a prison make," but a combination of the stone wall, the political parasite and the moral instructor is no garden of sweets.
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