Definition

1. Noun:
   • Gaoler, jailer: A person, especially in the past, whose job was to guard and be in charge of prisoners in a jail or prison.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ngục lại canh giữ những tù nhân nguy hiểm. (The gaoler guarded the dangerous prisoners.)
  • Trong câu chuyện cổ, ngục lại thường là một nhân vật đáng sợ. (In the old story, the jailer was often a fearsome character.)

Advanced Usage

• This word is marked as archaic (từ cũ). It is used primarily in historical contexts, classical literature, or when describing figures from the past. In modern Vietnamese, terms like "cai ngục" or "quản ngục" are more common.

Variants and Related Words

• Cai ngục (n): Modern term for prison guard or warden.
• Quản ngục (n): Prison warden or superintendent.
• Ngục tù (n): Prison, jail (refers to the institution itself).

Synonyms

• Lính canh ngục: Prison guard.
• Người gác ngục: Prison guard (literal: person who guards the prison).

Notes on Meaning

• The word specifically refers to the person in charge of guarding prisoners within a prison (ngục). It does not refer to the prison building itself, which is "nhà tù" or "ngục thất".
• As an archaic term, its usage evokes a historical or literary setting.

1. (từ cũ) Gaoler, jailer, gaol