Asylum

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: a=sy=lum

CIDE DICTIONARY

Asylum, n. [L. asylum, Gr. , fr. exempt from spoliation, inviolable; 'a priv. + right of seizure.].

•  A sanctuary or place of refuge and protection, where criminals and debtors found shelter, and from which they could not be forcibly taken without sacrilege.  [1913 Webster]

  " The name was anciently given to temples, altars, statues of the gods, and the like. In later times Christian churches were regarded as asylums in the same sense."  [1913 Webster]

  "So sacred was the church to some, that it had the right of an asylum or sanctuary."  [1913 Webster]
•  Any place of retreat and security.  [1913 Webster]

  "Earth has no other asylum for them than its own cold bosom."  [1913 Webster]
•  An institution for the protection or relief of some class of destitute, unfortunate, or afflicted persons; as, an asylum for the aged, for the blind, or for the insane; a lunatic asylum; an orphan asylum.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Asylum, n.
1 sanctuary; protection, esp. for those pursued by the law (seek asylum).
2 hist. any of various kinds of institution offering shelter and support to distressed or destitute individuals, esp. the mentally ill.

Idiom

political asylum protection given by a State to a political refugee from another country.

Etymology

ME f. L f. Gk asulon refuge f. a- not + sulon right of seizure

THESAURUS

Asylum

VA hospital, almshouse, base hospital, bedlam, bird sanctuary, bolt-hole, bughouse, cache, clinic, community hospital, concealment, convalescent home, convalescent hospital, corner, cover, covert, coverture, cranny, crazy house, cubby, cubbyhole, dark corner, den, dugout, evacuation hospital, farm, field hospital, forest preserve, foster home, foxhole, funk hole, game preserve, game sanctuary, general hospital, halfway house, harbor, harbor of refuge, harborage, haven, hideaway, hideout, hidey hole, hiding, hiding place, hole, home, hospice, hospital, hospitium, infirmary, inpatient clinic, insane asylum, institution, inviolability, lair, lunatic asylum, madhouse, maison de sante, mental home, mental hospital, mental institution, niche, nook, nursing home, nuthouse, orphanage, osteopathic hospital, outpatient clinic, padded cell, policlinic, polyclinic, poor farm, poorhouse, port, preserve, private hospital, proprietary hospital, psychiatric ward, psychopathic hospital, public hospital, recess, refuge, rest home, retreat, safe haven, safehold, sanatorium, sanctuary, secret place, security, shelter, sick bay, sickbed, sickroom, snug harbor, special hospital, stash, state hospital, station hospital, stronghold, surgical hospital, teaching hospital, undercovert, veterans hospital, voluntary hospital, ward, well-baby clinic, workhouse

ROGET THESAURUS

Asylum

Refuge

N refuge, sanctuary, retreat, fastness, acropolis, keep, last resort, ward, prison, asylum, ark, home, refuge for the destitute, almshouse, hiding place, sanctum sanctorum, roadstead, anchorage, breakwater, mole, port, haven, harbor, harbor of refuge, seaport, pier, jetty, embankment, quay, covert, cover, shelter, screen, lee wall, wing, shield, umbrella, barrier, dashboard, dasher, wall, fort, anchor, kedge, grapnel, grappling iron, sheet anchor, killick, mainstay, support, cheek, ballast, jury mast, vent-peg, safety valve, blow-off valve, safety lamp, lightning rod, lightning conductor, safety belt, airbag, seat belt, antilock brakes, antiskid tires, snow tires, means of escape, lifeboat, lifejacket, life buoy, swimming belt, cork jacket, parachute, plank, steppingstone, emergency landing, safeguard, any port in a storm, bibere venenum in auro, valet anchora virtus.

Defense

N defense, protection, guard, ward, shielding, propugnation, preservation, guardianship, area defense, site defense, self-defense, self-preservation, resistance, safeguard, balistraria, bunker, screen, camouflage, fortification, munition, muniment, trench, foxhole, bulwark, fosse, moat, ditch, entrenchment, intrenchment, kila, dike, dyke, parapet, sunk fence, embankment, mound, mole, bank, sandbag, revetment, earth work, field- work, fence, wall dead wall, contravallation, paling, palisade, haha, stockade, stoccado, laager, sangar, barrier, barricade, boom, portcullis, chevaux de frise, abatis, abattis, abbatis, vallum, circumvallation, battlement, rampart, scarp, escarp, counter-scarp, glacis, casemate, vallation, vanfos, buttress, abutment, shore, breastwork, banquette, curtain, mantlet, bastion, redan, ravelin, vauntmure, advance work, horn work, outwork, barbacan, barbican, redoubt, fort-elage, fort-alice, lines, loophole, machicolation, sally port, hold, stronghold, fastness, asylum, keep, donjon, dungeon, fortress, citadel, capitol, castle, tower of strength, tower of strength, fort, barracoon, pah, sconce, martello tower, peelhouse, blockhouse, rath, wooden walls, bulletproof vest, armored vest, buffer, corner stone, fender, apron, mask, gauntlet, thimble, carapace, armor, shield, buckler, aegis, breastplate, backplate, cowcatcher, face guard, scutum, cuirass, habergeon, mail, coat of mail, brigandine, hauberk, lorication, helmet, helm, bassinet, salade, heaume, morion, murrion, armet, cabaset, vizor, casquetel, siege cap, headpiece, casque, pickelhaube, vambrace, shako, bearskin, panoply, truncheon, garrison, picket, piquet, defender, protector, guardian, bodyguard, champion, knight-errant, Paladin, propugner, bulletproof window, hardened site, defending, defensive, mural, armed, armed at all points, armed cap-a-pie, armed to the teeth, panoplied, iron-plated, ironclad, loopholed, castellated, machicolated, casemated, defended, proof against, armored, ballproof, bulletproof, hardened, defensively, on the defense, on the defensive, in defense, at bay, pro aris et focis, Int, no surrender!, defense not defiance, Dieu defend le droit, fidei defensor, defender of the faith.