limbo
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Jail, prison; (countable) a jail cell or lockup.
Register: archaic, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Adr[iana]. VVhere is thy Maſter Dromio? Is he vvell? / S. Dro. [Dromio of Syracuse] No, he's in Tartar limbo, vvorſe then hell: […] / S. Dro. I doe not knovv the matter, hee is reſted [i.e., arrested] on the caſe. / Adr. VVhat is he arreſted? tell me at vvhoſe ſuite?
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 “limbo” mean?
Jail, prison; (countable) a jail cell or lockup.
Is “limbo” formal or informal?
limbo is generally archaic, slang.