[jail] n [ME jaiole, fr. OF, fr. LL caveola, dim. of L cavea cage--more at cage] (13c) 1: a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody; specif: such a place under the jurisdiction of a local government (as a county) for the confinement of persons awaiting trial or those convicted of minor crimes--compare prison
2: confinement in a jail
[2]jail vt (1604): to confine in or as if in a jail