prison

/ˈpɹɪzn̩/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: prisons · prisoning · prisoned

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A place or institution where people are held against their will, in the US especially for long-term confinement, as of those convicted of serious crimes or otherwise considered undesirable by the government.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

nơi hoặc cơ sở giam giữ những người chống lại ý chí của họ

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

The cold stone walls of the prison had stood for over a century.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Confinement in prison.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

giam giữ trong nhà tù

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

Prison was a harrowing experience for him.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To imprison.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

giam giữ

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Verb

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “prison” mean?

A place or institution where people are held against their will, in the US especially for long-term confinement, as of those convicted of serious crimes or otherwise considered undesirable by the government.

Is “prison” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.