A prison is a place for people who broke the law. They stay there as punishment or before a trial. It is a safe place controlled by guards.
He was sent to prison for theft.
She stayed in prison for five years.
This meaning talks about the whole system that puts people in prisons. It includes laws, rules, and buildings for punishment. People work to make this system better or fairer.
Prison reform is needed worldwide.
He studies prison systems in many countries.
Here, prison means a small locked room in a prison building. Prisoners stay there alone. The room is usually small and has little furniture.
His prison was very small and dark.
She was locked in a prison for one night.
This meaning is used to describe something that feels like being stuck or trapped. It is not a real building but a situation or feeling that stops someone free.
Her job was a prison for her dreams.
He felt prison in his own mind.
In chess, prison means a piece cannot move because other pieces block it. This usually leads to losing the piece. It's a special use of the word in this game.
The knight is in prison and will be captured soon.
He put her queen in a prison on the board.
As a verb, prison means to put someone in jail. This happens as a punishment for breaking the law. It means to keep someone locked up.
They prisoned the man after the crime.
He was prisoned for stealing.