bridewell

[brahyd-wel, -wuhl] Origin

bride·well

[brahyd-wel, -wuhl]
noun British.
a prison.

Origin:
1545–55; after a prison that formerly stood near the church of St. Bride in London
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Bridewell is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
Collins
World English Dictionary
bridewell (ˈbraɪdˌwɛl, -wəl)
 
n
a house of correction; jail, esp for minor offences
 
[C16: after Bridewell (originally, St Bride's Well), a house of correction in London]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

bridewell
"prison," 1550s, from Bridewell, house of correction in London, originally a royal lodging (given by Edward VI for a hospital, later converted to a prison) near Bride's Well, short for St. Bridget's Well.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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