What Does Hoosegow Definition?

US, informal + humorous. : jail … ended the evening in the local hoosegow.—

Where did the jail term hoosegow come from?

A: Hoosegow is a slang term synonymous with jail. The word comes from the Mexican Spanish word "juzgado," meaning "tribunal" or "judge." The word is derived from a mispronunciation of juzgado, the last two syllables of which are sometimes slurred into the diphthong "ao." Juzgado also gave us "jug" as the term for jail.

What's another word for hoosegow?

In this page you can discover 21 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for hoosegow, like: pokey, pen, house of correction, jail, prison, joint, keep, penitentiary, lockup, can and cooler.

Chloe Bennett

Chloe Bennett

Culture, Media & Entertainment Columnist

Chloe Bennett explores the intersection of pop culture, streaming entertainment, digital trends, and contemporary lifestyle. Her weekly commentary reaches thousands of culture enthusiasts.