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Meaning of calaboose
A calaboose is a term for a jail or prison, particularly a small or local one.
Etymology of calaboose
The word "calaboose" has its roots in the Spanish term "calabozo," meaning dungeon or jail cell.
It originated in the southern United States, particularly in the Southwest and Texas, where Spanish influence was significant.
Historically, the term was used to describe small, often makeshift jails or detention facilities, and its usage has been retained in American English as a colloquialism for a small jail or prison.
Synonyms
Definitions
- A calaboose is defined by Oxford Languages as a small jail, especially one in a small town or rural area.
- * It can also refer to a cell or lockup, often in an informal or colloquial sense.
Usage Examples
- The sheriff threw the drunken cowboy into the calaboose for the night to sober up.
- * The small town's calaboose was nothing more than a single cell with iron bars and a narrow bed.
Antonyms
freedom
liberty
release
pardon
acquittal
exoneration
parole
probation
bail
exemption
immunity
reprieve
pardon
clemency
freedom
emancipation
manumission