spunging-house
Preserved but no longer current.
The sheriff’s officer’s house, where prisoners, when arrested for debt, used to be taken. As extortionate charges were made there for accommodation, the name was far from inappropriate.
Nhà của quan chức sheriff, nơi tù nhân bị bắt vì nợ được đưa đến
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “spunging-house” mean?
The sheriff’s officer’s house, where prisoners, when arrested for debt, used to be taken. As extortionate charges were made there for accommodation, the name was far from inappropriate.
Is “spunging-house” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.