— prisonlike , adj.
/priz"euhn/ , n.
1. a building for the confinement of persons held while awaiting trial, persons sentenced after conviction, etc.
2. See state prison .
3. any place of confinement or involuntary restraint.
4. imprisonment.
[ bef. 1150; ME prison, earlier prisun preson imprisonment, a prison pre ( he ) nsion- (s. of prehensio ) a seizure, arrest, equiv. to prehens ( us ) (ptp. of prehendere to seize) + -ion- -ION; doublet of PREHENSION ]