Link Centre Dictionary

gaol

UK/d͡ʒeɪl/ uncommon uk

noun

1.

a correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence)

verb

1.

lock up or confine, in or as in a jail

  • “The suspects were imprisoned without trial”
  • “the murderer was incarcerated for the rest of his life”

Origin

From Middle English gayole, gaiol, gaylle, gaille, gayle, gaile, via Old French gaiole, gayolle, gaole, from Medieval Latin gabiola, for Late Latin caveola, a diminutive of Latin cavea (“cavity, coop, cage”). See also cage.

Related words

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.