imprison Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb lock up or confine, in or as in a jail
    incarcerate; jug; remand; lag; immure; gaol; jail; put away; put behind bars.
    • The suspects were imprisoned without trial
    • the murderer was incarcerated for the rest of his life
  2. verb confine as if in a prison; he does not let them go out without a chaperone"
    • His daughters are virtually imprisoned in their own house

WordNet

Im*pris"on transitive verb
Etymology
OE. enprisonen, OF. enprisoner, F. emprisonner; pref. en- (L. in) + F. & OF. prison. See Prison.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Imprisoned ; present participle & verbal noun Imprisoning
Definitions
  1. To put in prison or jail; To arrest and detain in custody; to confine.
    He imprisoned was in chains remediles. Spenser.
  2. To limit, restrain, or confine in any way.
    Try to imprison the resistless wind. Dryden.
    Syn. -- To incarcerate; confine; immure.

Webster 1913