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workhouse

   Also found in: Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.04 sec.
work·house  (wûrkhous)
n.
1. A prison in which limited sentences are served at manual labor.
2. Chiefly British A poorhouse.
workhouse
Noun
(formerly, in England) a public institution where very poor people did work in return for food and accommodation
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.workhouse - a poorhouse where able-bodied poor are compelled to labor
poorhouse - an establishment maintained at public expense in order to provide housing for the poor and homeless
Britain, Great Britain, U.K., UK, United Kingdom, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; `Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom
2.workhouse - a county jail that holds prisoners for periods up to 18 months
gaol, jail, jailhouse, pokey, poky, slammer, clink - a correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence)
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I was a farmer's boy, not earning enough to keep myself, much less both of us, and she must have gone to the workhouse but for our mistress
Black Beauty by Sewell, Anna View in context
During his walk of a few yards he had had time and calmness enough to widen his view of consequences, and he saw that to get Jacob taken to the workhouse or to the lock-up house as an offensive stranger might have awkward effects if his family took the trouble of inquiring after him.
Brother Jacob by Eliot, George View in context
Upon my word, Miss Hepzibah, I doubt whether I've ever been so comfortable as I mean to be at my farm, which most folks call the workhouse.
House Of Seven Gables by Hawthorne, Nathaniel View in context
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