gaol
pronunciation
How to pronounce gaol in British English:
UK [dʒeɪl]
How to pronounce gaol in American English:
US [dʒeɪl]
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- Noun:
- a correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence)
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- Verb:
- lock up or confine, in or as in a jail
Word Origin
- gaol
- gaol: see jail
- gaol (n.)
- see jail (n.), you tea-sodden football hooligan. Formerly in official use in Britain, and thus sometimes regarded in U.S. as a characteristic British spelling (though George Washington used it); by the time of OED 2nd edition (1980s) both spellings were considered correct there; the g- spelling is said to have been dominant longest in Australia. [T]he very anomalous pronunciation of g soft before other vowels than e, i, & y ... is a strong argument for writing jail [Fowler]
Example
- 1. The castle had been used as a gaol .
- 2. The man spent several years in gaol for robbery .
- 3. You 'll go to gaol if you touch the money .
- 4. He was clapped into gaol .
- 5. To smuggle a gun into a gaol .