imprisoned

Everyday

1. Put in prison as a punishment, or kept in prison. tree →
2. Kept somewhere and not able to get out, like a trapped animal or a princess in a tower. tree →
3. (figurative) Unable to escape a feeling or situation: «imprisoned by fear». tree →

In the lessons

In history and stories people are imprisoned for crimes, or unfairly for their beliefs; in the Bible Joseph and Paul were imprisoned. In ethics lessons pupils discuss fair punishment and people imprisoned for speaking up. Phrases: «be imprisoned for», «wrongly imprisoned», «imprisoned in a tower».

Examples

• The thief was imprisoned for two years. tree →
• Joseph was imprisoned in Egypt, though he had done nothing wrong. tree →
• The princess was imprisoned in a high tower. tree →
• Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for a very long time before becoming president. tree →
• The bird felt imprisoned in its small cage. tree →
• Paul wrote letters while he was imprisoned. tree →
• ‘Ah! cruel Queen! what have I ever done to be imprisoned like this? tree →

Note

Regular verb: imprison, imprisoned. Noun: imprisonment. Usually passive: «He was imprisoned.» Similar: jailed, locked up (informal).