Imprison

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: im=pris=on

CIDE DICTIONARY

Imprison, v. t. [OE. enprisonen, OF. enprisoner, F. emprisonner; pref. en- (L. in) + F. & OF. prison. See Prison.].

•  To put in prison or jail; To arrest and detain in custody; to confine.  [1913 Webster]

  "He imprisoned was in chains remediless."  [1913 Webster]
•  To limit, restrain, or confine in any way.  [1913 Webster]

  "Try to imprison the resistless wind."

Syn. -- To incarcerate; confine; immure.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Imprison, v.tr.
1 put into prison.
2 confine; shut up.

Derivative

imprisonment n.

Etymology

ME f. OF emprisoner (as EN-(1), PRISON)

THESAURUS

Imprison

bastille, beleaguer, beset, besiege, blockade, bolt in, bound, box in, cage, cast in prison, chamber, check, circumscribe, clap in jail, clap up, close in, compass, confine, constrain, contain, coop, coop in, coop up, cordon, cordon off, corral, curb, detain, encircle, enclose, encompass, enshrine, fence in, gaol, hedge in, hem in, hold captive, hold in captivity, hold prisoner, house in, immure, impound, incarcerate, include, intern, jail, jug, kennel, leaguer, limit, lock in, lock up, mew, mew up, pen, pen in, pocket, prison, put away, quarantine, quod, rail in, release, remand, restrain, restrict, send down, shrine, shut in, shut up, stable, surround, throw into jail, wall in, wrap, yard, yard up

ROGET THESAURUS

Imprison

Restraint

VB restrain, check, put under restraint, lay under restraint, enthral, enthrall, inthral, inthrall, bethral, bethrall, restrict, debar, constrain, coerce, curb, control, hold back, hold from, hold in, hold in check, hold within bounds, keep back, keep from, keep in, keep in check, keep within bounds, hold in leash, hold in leading strings, withhold, keep under, repress, suppress, smother, pull in, rein in, hold, hold fast, keep a tight hand on, prohibit, inhibit, cohibit, enchain, fasten, fetter, shackle, entrammel, bridle, muzzle, hopple, gag, pinion, manacle, handcuff, tie one's hands, hobble, bind hand and foot, swathe, swaddle, pin down, tether, picket, tie down, tie up, secure, forge fetters, disable, hamstring (incapacitate), confine, shut up, shut in, clap up, lock up, box up, mew up, bottle up, cork up, seal up, button up, hem in, bolt in, wall in, rail in, impound, pen, coop, inclose, cage, incage, encage, close the door upon, cloister, imprison, immure, incarcerate, entomb, clap under hatches, lay under hatches, put in irons, put in a strait-waistcoat, throw into prison, cast into prison, put into bilboes, arrest, take up, take charge of, take into custody, take prisoner, take captive, make prisoner, make captive, captivate, lead captive, lead into captivity, send to prison, commit to prison, commit, give in charge, give in custody, subjugate.

Circumscription

VB circumscribe, limit, bound, confine, inclose, surround, compass about, imprison, hedge in, wall in, rail in, fence round, fence in, hedge round, picket, corral, enfold, bury, encase, incase, pack up, enshrine, inclasp, wrap up, embay, embosom, containment (inclusion).