booby house
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
booby-hatch; lunatic asylum
Register: derogatory, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
As for taking the kinks out of weak backs, straightening them out and tightening them up around the waist, that's old stuff in all the booby houses where the keepers clap the patients in strait jackets.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “booby house” mean?
booby-hatch; lunatic asylum
Is “booby house” formal or informal?
booby house is generally derogatory, slang.