gaol
gb/ɡˈeɪl/ us/ɡˈeɪl/
C1
English
börtön, bebörtönöz, börtönbe zár
NOUN
C1
LEGAL
1
börtön
A2
Usage pattern:
in (a/the) gaol; go to gaol; be sent to gaol
He spent six months in gaol for fraud.
Csalásért hat hónapot töltött börtönben.
The court sent her to gaol after she broke the terms of her sentence.
A bíróság börtönbe küldte, miután megszegte az ítéletében előírt feltételeket.
The old courthouse had a small gaol behind it.
Learner examples
He is in gaol.
Börtönben van.
She went to gaol.
Börtönbe került.
Common mistake:
Do not confuse gaol with goal; gaol is pronounced like jail.
Meaning
a prison; jail (UK spelling)
Collocations
go to gaol
|be in gaol
|send someone to gaol
|serve time in gaol
|be released from gaol
|local gaol
|county gaol
|gaol cell
|gaol sentence
|gaol term
Synonyms
jail (The more common spelling, especially in American English.)
|
prison (More general term; not tied to this particular spelling.)
Antonyms
freedom (The state of not being imprisoned.)
|
release (The act or result of being freed from custody.)
Themes
crime
|law
|society
Definition
A gaol is a prison (spelled this way in some countries).
A prison; a place where people are kept because they have been accused or convicted of a crime.
VERB
C2
LEGAL
2
bebörtönöz
B2
börtönbe zár
B1
Usage pattern:
gaol [someone] (for [something])
The judge can gaol repeat offenders for longer terms.
A bíró hosszabb időre is bebörtönözheti a visszaeső elkövetőket.
He was gaolled for contempt of court.
A bíróság megsértése miatt bebörtönözték.
In earlier times, debtors could be gaolled for owing money.
Learner examples
They gaolled him for robbery.
Rablásért bebörtönözték.
Common mistake:
This verb form is uncommon in modern English; people usually say jail or imprison.
Meaning
to put someone in jail
Collocations
gaol someone for theft
|gaol a protester
|gaol an offender
|gaol someone without trial
Synonyms
jail (More common verb form in modern English.)
|
imprison (More formal and widely used across varieties.)
Antonyms
free (To release someone from confinement.)
|
release (To let someone leave prison or custody.)
Themes
crime
|law
Definition
To gaol someone means to put them in prison.
To put someone in prison; to imprison.
Grammar
Dictionary form
gaol
IPA
GB/ɡˈeɪl/
US/ɡˈeɪl/
Syllables & stress
gaol (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (gaol)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: gaol
- Plural: gaol, gaols
Verb
- Base: gaol
- 3rd Person Singular: gaols
- Present Participle: gaoling
- Past: gaoled
Word family
Forms
gaols
noun
gaoling
verb
gaoled
verb
Core family
jail
noun B1
Related words
gaoler
noun
jailer
noun
Advanced or less common
jailbird
noun
Expressions
be in gaol
1/bˈi ˈɪn ɡˈeɪl/
fixed phrase
legal
be imprisoned
If someone is in gaol, they are in prison.
Examples
- His father is in gaol at the moment.
- She was in gaol awaiting trial.
Learner examples
- He is in gaol.
break out of gaol
1/bɹˈeɪk ˈaʊt əv ɡˈeɪl/
fixed phrase
escape from prison
To break out of gaol means to escape from prison.
Examples
- Two prisoners broke out of gaol overnight.
- He tried to break out of gaol but was caught within hours.
Learner examples
- They broke out of gaol.
go to gaol
1/ɡˈoʊ tə ɡˈeɪl/
fixed phrase
legal
be sent to prison
To go to gaol means to be put in prison.
Examples
- If you keep breaking the law, you could go to gaol.
- He went to gaol for tax evasion.
Learner examples
- He went to gaol.
send someone to gaol
1/sˈɛnd sˈʌmwˌʌn tə ɡˈeɪl/
fixed phrase
legal
order someone to prison
If a court sends someone to gaol, it makes them go to prison.
Examples
- The judge sent him to gaol for three years.
- They said the new law would send more people to gaol.
Learner examples
- The judge sent him to gaol.