jail
Translation
gaol, prison
Examples
He was sent to jail for theft.
He was sent to gaol for theft.
The old jail is now a museum.
The old gaol is now a museum.
Grammar Patterns
((a/the)) gaol a place where criminals are kept as a punishment He was sent to gaol for theft.
Similar Words
Synonyms: prison, penitentiary, lockup; Antonyms: freedom, liberty
Etymology
From Old French 'gaiole', meaning 'cage'. This is the source for both 'jail' and the British spelling 'gaol'.
Memory Tips
Think of being trapped in a 'cage' or 'gaiole', which sounds like 'gaol' or 'jail'.