turnkey
/'tə:nki:/
Definition
- Noun:
- A prison guard or jailer: A person whose job is to guard prisoners in a jail or prison. This term historically refers to the individual responsible for holding and using the keys to lock and unlock prison cells.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The turnkey locked the cell door after the inspection.
- In the old story, the prisoner bribed the turnkey to escape.
Advanced Usage
- The term "turnkey" is considered somewhat archaic or historical in modern English. Contemporary terms like "prison guard", "corrections officer", or "jailer" are more commonly used.
- It can occasionally be used metaphorically to describe someone who controls access or freedom in a restrictive situation.
- The strict administrator was the turnkey of the school's outdated policies.
Variants and Related Words
- Turnkey (adjective): This is a separate, more common modern meaning, describing something (e.g., a system or solution) that is supplied, installed, and ready for immediate use without further work by the purchaser.
- The company offers a complete turnkey software package.
Synonyms
- Jailer / Gaoler
- Prison guard
- Corrections officer
- Warder (chiefly British English)
Related Phrases
- Turn of the key: This phrase relates to the action but is not a direct phrasal verb of "turnkey."
- With a turn of the key, the turnkey secured the corridor.
Related Idioms
- To hold the keys: To be in a position of control or authority. While not containing the word "turnkey," this idiom relates to the concept of a jailer's power.
- The judge holds the keys to his freedom.
Noun
-
someone who guards prisoners
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