Reference  |  Webster's Dictionary  |  P  |  Princock to Private

P — Princock to Private (Part 5 of 7)

2. Specifically, a building for the safe custody or confinement of criminals and others committed by lawful authority.

Prison bars, or Prison base. See Base, n., 24.Prison breach. (Law) See Note under 3d Escape, n., 4.Prison house, a prison. Shak.Prison ship (Naut.), a ship fitted up for the confinement of prisoners.Prison van, a carriage in which prisoners are conveyed to and from prison.

Prison
(Pris"on), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prisoned ; p. pr. & vb. n. Prisoning.]

1. To imprison; to shut up in, or as in, a prison; to confine; to restrain from liberty.

The prisoned eagle dies for rage.
Sir W. Scott.
His true respect will prison false desire.
Shak.

2. To bind (together); to enchain. [Obs.]

Sir William Crispyn with the duke was led
Together prisoned.
Robert of Brunne.

Prisoner
(Pris"on*er) n. [F. prisonnier.]

1. One who is confined in a prison. Piers Plowman.

2. A person under arrest, or in custody, whether in prison or not; a person held in involuntary restraint; a captive; as, a prisoner at the bar of a court. Bouvier.

Prisoner of Hope thou art, — look up and sing.
Keble.

Prisoner's base. See Base, n., 24.

Prisonment
(Pris"on*ment) n. Imprisonment. [Obs.] Shak.

Pristinate
(Pris"tin*ate) a. Pristine; primitive. [Obs.] "Pristinate idolatry." Holinshed.

Pristine
(Pris"tine) a. [L. pristinus, akin to prior: cf. F. pristin. See Prior, a.] Belonging to the earliest period or state; original; primitive; primeval; as, the pristine state of innocence; the pristine manners of a people; pristine vigor.

Pritch
(Pritch) n. [See Prick.]

1. A sharp-pointed instrument; also, an eelspear. [Prov. Eng.]

2. Pique; offense. [Obs.] D. Rogers.

Pritchel
(Pritch"el) n. A tool employed by blacksmiths for punching or enlarging the nail holes in a horseshoe.

Prithee
(Prith"ee) interj. A corruption of pray thee; as, I prithee; generally used without I. Shak.

What was that scream for, I prithee?
L'Estrange.
Prithee, tell me, Dimple-chin.
E. C. Stedman.

Prittle-prattle
(Prit"tle-prat`tle) n. [See Prattle.] Empty talk; trifling loquacity; prattle; — used in contempt or ridicule. [Colloq.] Abp. Bramhall.

Privacy
(Pri"va*cy) n.; pl. Privacies [See Private.]