jail
word
/ˈdʒeɪɫ/
jayl
/dʒˈeɪl/
jayl
Definition
A building or place where people are kept as punishment for a crime or while waiting for trial. It is usually used for short-term detention.
Usage & Nuances
'Jail' is mostly used in American English for short-term detention; 'prison' often means long-term. Common phrases: 'go to jail', 'in jail', 'jail time'. Used in both formal and informal speech.
Spanish: cárcel - prisiónPortuguese (BR): cadeia - prisãoPortuguese (PT): prisão - cadeiaChinese (Simplified): 监狱Chinese (Traditional): 監獄Hindi: जेलArabic: سجنBengali: জেল - কারাগার (স্বল্পমেয়াদী)Russian: тюрьмаJapanese: 刑務所 - 拘置所Vietnamese: nhà tù - trại giamKorean: 감옥Turkish: hapishaneUrdu: جیلIndonesian: penjara
Example Sentences
He spent one night in jail.
basic
The police took her to jail.
basic
He is still in jail waiting for his trial.
basic
She was released from jail last week.
natural
If you break the law, you could end up in jail.
natural
Some people say jail isn't as tough as it used to be.
natural