Search results
Prison slang is an argot used primarily by criminals and detainees in correctional institutions. It is a form of anti-language. [1] Many of the terms deal with criminal behavior, incarcerated life, legal cases, street life, and different types of inmates. Prison slang varies depending on institution, region, and country. [2]
- An all-day is a life sentence, so someone who has a life sentence is called an all-dayer. Someone doing all day and a night is someone serving life without parole.
- Other lengths are much easier to understand: for example, a four-year sentence is a four, a two-year sentence is a two.
- Prisoners will sometimes say they’re ‘doing bird’ to mean they’re doing time. It comes from old rhyming slang where time became bird lime, but now it has been shortened to just bird.
- Food might be called nosh or chow, and the dining hall might be called the mess or mess hall.
All Day and a Night: Life without parole. Ate up each other: Two sentences running concurrently. When a 10-year sentence and a seven-year sentence run concurrently, the 10-year sentence “ate up” the seven-year sentence. Back door parole: To die in prison. Bats: Cigarettes.
- Slammer
- Sent Down
- The Block
- The Box
- Pompey
- Nick
- Chokey
- Glasshouse
- Quod
- Doing Porridge
First we have the “slammer,” one of the most well-known and commonly used British slang terms for jail. This is perhaps more commonly used among the older generations now, and is definitely very regionally specific. This isn’t quite ubiquitous in use, though everyone will certainly understand what you mean by “slammer”. “He’s going to end up in the...
Though not quite slang for jails themselves, one very common slang term you’ll hear in relation to jails in the north of England is “sent down”. When someone is getting sent to prison, they are being “sent down”, or they have been “sent down”. This is among the most common slang ways of saying someone is being sent to prison. “My brother is getting...
For those in prison, there are a variety of slang terms to refer to different levels of the prison itself. One common slang term among prisoners for solitary confinement is “the block”. This is where prisoners are sent for excessively violent or otherwise bad behavior. Sometimes, this term may also be used for jails as a whole. “He’s been in the bl...
Another common slang term for solitary confinement in British prisons is “the box”. The sense is simply that the solitary cells are nothing more than a featureless box, with a single window for a bit of light. Indeed, it’s functionally the same as “the block”. It no doubt arose around the same time as the block in the early days of solitary confine...
Though somewhat dated now, another common slang term for prisons in Britain is “Pompey”. This is again mostly used in the north of England, and more common among older generations than the youth of today. This is and was used both by inmates and outsiders alike to talk about prisons, indeed any kind of prison. “We’re all going to end up in Pompey i...
A very common British expression you’ll hear in TV and movies relating to arrests and jail is “nick”. There are a few ways you can use this. It can be a stand in for the word “arrested”. “You’re nicked, mate!” for example being the classic line. But “in the nick” is another way of saying that you are in jail. You might also say you’ve “been nicked”...
Another common slang term for jails which is used both inside and outside of prisons is the “chokey”. Though somewhat dated, this slang term is still definitely in use today by large parts of the population. Again, even those who don’t use it themselves are likely to understand it well enough. “They’ve sent Adam down to the chokey at last,” for exa...
Next we have “glasshouse”, which was originally slang for any Armed Forces jails. Military prisons served a variety of functions, such as detaining prisoners of war, unlawful combatants or those whose freedom was thought to be a national security risk. It could also be where soldiers found guilty of crimes would be held. Though the term is not as c...
Quod has a couple of meanings though they both relate directly to jail. It either means time spent confined in prison, or the jail itself. In Britain it is most commonly used in the latter way, and particularly relates to the quadrangle of the court in a prison. This is definitely more of an archaic term but one that is definitely still used in lar...
This one will probably sound a bit strange at first, but it will quickly start to make sense once you think about what people used to be fed in prisons. Another common slang term for doing time in jail in Britain is “doing porridge,” though it’s certainly a bit more old fashioned. That said, many older people will definitely understand what you mea...
Aug 9, 2023 · Her Majesty’s pleasure. Meaning: In prison. Origin: Refers to the British monarch; being imprisoned is officially done by order of the monarch, hence at “Her Majesty’s pleasure”. Usage: “He won’t be out for a while; he’s staying at Her Majesty’s pleasure.”.
Knowing these terms not only aids in understanding inmate communication but also provides insight into the daily lives and social dynamics within prisons. This guide will explore common prison slang UK terms, their meanings, and their usage.
People also ask
What is prison slang UK?
What is a slang term for a prison sex offender?
Where did prison slang come from?
What is a slang term for doing time in jail?
What is a slang term for solitary confinement?
What is a military prison called?
Aug 25, 2023 · All Day – a life sentence. All Day and a Night – a life sentence without parole. Agitator – an inmate who starts fights just to stir up trouble. Backdoor parole – to die while in prison. Bagman – someone who has a drug stash or a drug dealer. Bang – being injected with drugs. Bats – tobacco.
