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house of correction
noun phrase
: a penal institution for persons convicted of a minor offense and considered capable of reformation
Examples of house of correction in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Octavio Nares admitted to possession with intent to distribute cocaine in January 2019 and was sentenced to more than two years in the house of correction with 18 months to serve, prosecutors said.
—Adam Sennott, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Apr. 2023
Columbo was sentenced on Dec. 20 to two years and six months in a house of correction.
—Tonya Alanez, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Apr. 2023
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Word History
First Known Use
circa 1576, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of house of correction was
circa 1576
Dictionary Entries Near house of correction
Cite this Entry
“House of correction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/house%20of%20correction. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.
Legal Definition
house of correction
: an institution where persons who have committed minor offenses and who are considered capable of reformation are confined compare house of detention, jail, lockup, penitentiary, prison
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