Hypertext Webster Gateway: "dungeon"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Dungeon
different from the ordinary prison in being more severe as a
place of punishment. Like the Roman inner prison (Acts 16:24),
it consisted of a deep cell or cistern (Jer. 38:6). To be shut
up in, a punishment common in Egypt (Gen. 39:20; 40:3; 41:10;
42:19). It is not mentioned, however, in the law of Moses as a
mode of punishment. Under the later kings imprisonment was
frequently used as a punishment (2 Chron. 16:10; Jer. 20:2;
32:2; 33:1; 37:15), and it was customary after the Exile (Matt.
11:2; Luke 3:20; Acts 5:18, 21; Matt. 18:30).
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Dungeon \Dun"geon\, v. t.
To shut up in a dungeon. --Bp. Hall.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Dungeon \Dun"geon\, n. [OE. donjoun highest tower of a castle,
tower, prison, F. donjon tower or platform in the midst of a
castle, turret, or closet on the top of a house, a keep of a
castle, LL. domnio, the same word as LL. dominus lord. See
{Dame}, {Don}, and cf. {Dominion}, {Domain}, {Demesne},
{Danger}, {Donjon}.]
A close, dark prison, common?, under ground, as if the lower
apartments of the donjon or keep of a castle, these being
used as prisons.
Down with him even into the deep dungeon. -- Tyndale.
Year after year he lay patiently in a dungeon. --
Macaulay.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
dungeon
n 1: the main tower within the walls of a medieval castle or
fortress [syn: {keep}, {donjon}]
2: a dark cell (usually underground) where prisoners can be
confined
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