bastille

bas·tille

 (bă-stēl′)

n.

A prison; a jail.

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[French, from Old French, fortress, alteration of bastide, from Old Provençal bastida, from bastir, to build, of Germanic origin.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Bastille

(bæˈstiːl; French bastij)

n

(Placename) a fortress in Paris, built in the 14th century: a prison until its destruction in 1789, at the beginning of the French Revolution

[C14: from Old French bastile fortress, from Old Provençal bastida, from bastir to build, of Germanic origin; see baste¹]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

bas•tille

or bas•tile

(bæˈstil)

n.

1. (cap.) a fortress in Paris, used as a prison, captured by revolutionaries on July 14, 1789.

2. any prison or jail.

[1350–1400; Middle English bastile < Middle French]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Bastille

A royal prison in Paris used exclusively for state prisoners.

Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	Bastille - a fortress built in Paris in the 14th century and used as a prison in the 17th and 18th centuries; it was destroyed July 14, 1789 at the start of the French Revolution France, French Republic - a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe capital of France, City of Light, French capital, Paris - the capital and largest city of France; and international center of culture and commerce
	2.	bastille - a jail or prison (especially one that is run in a tyrannical manner) 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) prison, prison house - a correctional institution where persons are confined while on trial or for punishment

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.