poorhouse
Definition
Noun: 1. A publicly funded institution providing basic housing for people who are destitute and have no other means of support. Historically, it was a place where the very poor, including the elderly, infirm, or orphaned, could live, often in exchange for work. Conditions were typically very basic and sometimes harsh.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- In the 19th century, elderly people without family might end their days in the poorhouse.
- The novel describes the grim conditions inside the county poorhouse.
- Fear of the poorhouse motivated many to save money for their old age.
Advanced Usage
- Used figuratively to describe a state of extreme poverty or financial ruin.
- His failed investments nearly sent him to the financial poorhouse.
- The new tax policy will drive small businesses to the poorhouse.
Variants and Related Words
- Almshouse (n): A historical term similar to poorhouse, often founded by charitable endowment rather than public funds.
- Workhouse (n): A British term for a similar institution where the poor were required to work in return for food and shelter. The conditions were often deliberately austere to discourage dependence.
Synonyms
- Almshouse
- Workhouse (primarily UK historical context)
- Charity institution
- Public asylum (archaic)
Related Idioms
- (Go/be sent to) the poorhouse: To become completely impoverished or bankrupt.
- Paying for that surgery will send us to the poorhouse!
Noun
-
an establishment maintained at public expense in order to provide housing for the poor and homeless
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