Cool MatePrison
UK /["/ˈprɪzn/"]/US /["/ˈprɪzn/"]/
Definition
a building where people are kept as a punishment for a crime they have committed, or while they are waiting for trial
In simple words: A place where people are kept when they break the law.
Examples
- He was sentenced to five years in prison for theft.
- She visited her friend in prison every month.
- The prison was built in the 1800s and is now a museum.
- After the trial, the judge decided to send him to prison.
- He drew a picture of a prison to express his feelings of being trapped.
Usage notes
Used in both formal and informal contexts. Suitable for discussions about law, crime, or punishment. Avoid using in light-hearted contexts or jokes.
Grammar pattern
standalone noun
Memory hint
Think of a 'prison' as a 'prisoner-in'.
Collocations
- local
- federal
- overcrowded
- go to
- put somebody in
- send somebody to
- sentence
- term
- cell
- at a/the prison
- in (a/the) prison
- local
- federal
- overcrowded
- go to
- put somebody in
- send somebody to
- sentence
- term
- cell
- at a/the prison
- in (a/the) prison
Synonyms
- jail
Antonyms
- freedom
- liberty
Common mistakes
- 'Prisoner' is not the same as 'prison' - one is a person, the other is a place.
- Confusing 'jail' vs 'prison'. Jail is for short-term holding; prison is for long-term sentences.
- Using 'prisons' as a singular term incorrectly when referring to a single location.