bridewell

A man is taken to the bridewell for his sentence.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A "bridewell" is an archaic term for a prison or a house of correction, originally established for the reform of petty offenders, vagrants, and the disorderly poor. It was a type of institution that combined confinement with forced labour, intended to rehabilitate inmates through discipline.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The magistrate ordered the vagrant to be sent to the bridewell for a month of hard labour. (A prison or correctional facility for minor criminals.)
  • In 17th-century London, the Bridewell Palace was converted into one of the first bridewells, housing beggars and prostitutes. (A specific historical institution used for reform.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be committed to a bridewell": to be officially sent to a house of correction.

  • After being caught stealing bread, he was committed to the local bridewell. (He was sentenced to a prison for petty crimes.)

• "bridewell discipline": a strict, punitive regimen aimed at moral reform.

  • The bridewell discipline involved long hours of manual work and religious instruction. (The harsh routine of a correctional facility.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bridewell (proper noun): Historically, the name of a specific palace in London that became a prison. It is often used generically for any similar institution.
  • The original Bridewell in London was a model for many other bridewells across England. (The specific building that gave the term its name.)

Synonyms

• House of correction: a prison for minor offenders, emphasizing reform through labour.
• Workhouse: a facility where the poor were housed and made to work, though often distinct from a prison.
• Penitentiary: a more modern term for a prison, especially one designed for long-term confinement.

Related Idioms

• "The bridewell's bell": a historical reference to the bell that summoned inmates to work or prayer, symbolizing the strict routine of such institutions.
  • In old accounts, the bridewell's bell was a constant reminder of the inmates' lost freedom. (The bell used in a correctional facility.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Send to the bridewell: to commit someone to a correctional facility.
  • The judge sent the pickpocket to the bridewell for three months. (He was sentenced to a house of correction.)