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calaboose

cal·a·boose [ kállə bss ] (plural cal·a·booses)


noun 
Definition:
 
Southwestern U.S.  ( archaic or humorous )
Same as  jailn (sense 1)


[Late 18th century. Via Louisiana French calabouse< Spanish calabozo "dungeon" < assumed Vulgar Latin cala "protected place" + Latin fodere "dig"]

Regional History

Calaboose in the sense of "jail" was commonly used across the South and West of the United States, with a few instances in the Northeast.

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