jail
英 [dʒeɪl] 美 [dʒeɪl]
n.监牢;监狱;拘留所 vt.监禁;下狱
◉Etymology
“Jail” 一词来源于古法语 “jaiole”,意为“笼子”或“监禁的地方”,它本身可能来源于拉丁语 “gaiolum”,意为“鸟笼”或“围栏”。随着时间的推移,“jail” 的含义逐渐特指为“监狱”,即用于拘禁犯人的地方。
◉外刊例句
① 《泰晤士报》 (The Times), 2023年11月15日
“The recent increase in crime rates has led to overcrowding in jails across the country.”
“近期犯罪率的上升导致全国监狱人满为患。”
② 《经济学人》 (The Economist), 2024年3月20日
“Reforming the jail system is a crucial step towards reducing recidivism and improving public safety.”
“改革监狱系统是减少累犯和提高公共安全的关键一步。”
◉经典名著
在查尔斯·狄更斯的《双城记》(A Tale of Two Cities)中,“jail” 用于描述人物的监禁状态:
“He knew that he was in a jail, and that it was impossible for him to be free.”
“他知道自己身陷囹圄,不可能获得自由。”
◉Usage Examples
(1) Two prisoners broke loose from jail.
(2) The prisoner is left to rot in the jail.
(3) The whole jail was shrouded in darkness.
(4) It's just hearsay but apparently John has been put in jail.
(5) On the other hand, at least he didn't leave his dinner on the floor of the county jail.
(6) He was put in jail for grand larceny.
(7) He can be punished by long jail sentences.
(1) 两名犯人从监牢脱逃。
(2) 这个囚徒被投入监狱任凭他渐渐消瘦下去。
(3) 整座监狱笼罩在黑暗之中。
(4) 我也是听说的啦,听说约翰好像被关进拘留所了。
(5) 可是,从另一方面来说,他至少没有吐在拘留所的地板上。
(6) 他因重大盗窃案而被监禁。
(7) 他可能受到长期监禁的处罚。
◉Usage Notes
A jail is a place where people are confined while they're being punished for a crime. If you end up getting a mug shot and put behind bars, chances are you are In jail.
To arrest someone and put them in a jail cell is to jail them. Jail prisoners are often simply waiting for their trials — they've been charged with a crime, but they haven't yet been found to be guilty (or innocent). Jail was originally spelled gayhol, and in Britain it's also spelled gaol. This can be traced back to the Medieval Latin gabiola, from Late Latin caveola and the Latin cavea, "cage or enclosure."
◉Colins
in BRIT, also use 英国英语亦用gaol
1. [N-VAR 可变名词]监狱;看守所 A jail is a place where criminals are kept in order to punish them, or where people waiting to be tried are kept.
Three prisoners escaped from a jail.
3名囚犯越狱了。
2. [VERB 动词]使入狱;监禁 If someone is jailed, they are put into jail. [be V-ed] [usu passive]
He was jailed for twenty years.
他被判了20年监禁。