stir
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A prison, a lock-up; "in STIR," in gaol. Anglo-Saxon, STYR, correction, punishment.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
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 “stir” mean?
A prison, a lock-up; "in STIR," in gaol. Anglo-Saxon, STYR, correction, punishment.
Is “stir” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.