workhouse

work·house

W w

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
- [wurk-hous]
- /ˈwɜrkˌhaʊs/
- /ˈwɜːk.haʊs/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [wurk-hous]
- /ˈwɜrkˌhaʊs/

Definitions of workhouse word

noun plural workhouse a house of correction. 1
noun plural workhouse British. (formerly) a poorhouse in which paupers were given work. 1
noun plural workhouse Obsolete. a workshop. 1
noun workhouse (in the UK) a public institution in which the destitute of a parish received board and lodging in return for work. 1
noun workhouse 19th-century poorhouse 1
countable noun workhouse In Britain, in the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, a workhouse was a place where very poor people could live and do unpleasant jobs in return for food. People use the workhouse to refer to these places in general. 0

See all 13 definitions of workhouse

Information block about the term

Origin of workhouse

First appearance:

before 1100

One of the 6% oldest English words

before 1100; Middle English werkhous, Old English weorchūs workshop. See work, house

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Workhouse

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Workhouse

workhouse popularity

A pretty common term. Usually people know it’s meaning, but prefer to use a more spread out synonym. About 62% of English native speakers know the meaning and use word.

This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.

Synonyms for workhouse

noun workhouse

orphanage — an institution for the housing and care of orphans.

Just one Synonym for workhouse