deadtime

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

The serving of a prison sentence.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

And I'll tell you something else, if you weren't a cop, I'd have you doin’ dead-time at Leavenworth, for life!

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 “deadtime” mean?

The serving of a prison sentence.

Is “deadtime” formal or informal?

deadtime is generally slang.