big housen.
/ˈbɪɡ ˌhaʊs/, U.S. /ˈbɪɡ ˌhaʊs/ With the.
1. The largest or principal house in a group of buildings; spec. (frequently with capital initials) the principal house of an estate.
ΘΚΠ
society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > dwelling place or abode > a dwelling > a house > types of house > [noun] > manor house
hallc1000
boroughc1175
court1297
manorc1300
palacec1300
mansion1375
placea1387
manor-place1392
chemis1408
head-place1463
mansion place1473
manse1490
court-hall1552
manery1563
manor house1575
seat1607
country seat1615
great house1623
mansion house1651
country house1664
manor-seata1667
place-house1675
mansion-seat1697
hall-house1702
big house1753
ha'-house1814
manoir1830
manor hall1840
yashiki1863
seigneury1895
stately home1934
stately2009
1753 Ulster Misc. 100 He went himself to the big house, and met his landlord; I come Sir, says he, to complain of your son.
1823 J. F. Cooper Pioneers II. xxii. 326 The big-house has rung with merriment this month past!
1867 A. Trollope Claverings II. xxiii. 287 We might as well stay with them at the big house.
1926 J. Devanny Butcher Shop i. 15 A passage leading to the ‘big house’, as the homestead is generally called.
1959 L. Lee Cider with Rosie vii. 138 There were other stories of Big House life.
2007 Express (Nexis) 10 Feb. 24 Poor Sarah, languishing alone all day while everyone is enjoying themselves up at the big house.
2. slang.† a. The workhouse. Cf. house n.1 4a. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > dwelling place or abode > institutional homes > [noun] > for the poor, infirm, etc. > workhouse
working-house1597
workhouse1631
house of industry1679
spin-house1702
parish house1709
poorhouse1727
poorshouse1732
house?1825
union workhouse1830
union house1835
pauper asylum1837
great house1838
union1839
big house1851
spiniken1859
spike1866
lump1874
1851 H. Mayhew London Labour I. 48/2 As long as they kept out of the ‘big house’ (the workhouse) she would not complain.
1868 J. Hartley Yorks. Ditties (1873) 13 But him 'ats as poor as a maase..He mun point his noas up to th' big haase.
b. Originally U.S. Prison.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > punishment > imprisonment > prison > [noun]
quarternOE
prisona1200
jailc1275
lodgec1290
galleya1300
chartrea1325
ward1338
keepingc1384
prison-house1419
lying-house1423
javel1483
tollbooth1488
kidcotec1515
clinkc1530
warding-place1571
the hangman's budget1589
Newgate1592
gehenna1594
Lob's pound1597
caperdewsie1599
footman's inn1604
cappadochio1607
pena1640
marshalsea1652
log-house1662
bastille1663
naskin1673
state prison1684
tronk1693
stone-doublet1694
iron or stone doublet1698
college1699
nask1699
quod1699
shop1699
black hole1707
start1735
coop1785
blockhouse1796
stone jug1796
calaboose1797
factory1806
bull-pen1809
steel1811
jigger1812
jug1815
kitty1825
rock pile1830
bughouse1842
zindan1844
model1845
black house1846
tench1850
mill1851
stir1851
hoppet1855
booby hatch1859
caboose1865
cooler1872
skookum house1873
chokey1874
gib1877
nick1882
choker1884
logs1888
booby house1894
big house1905
hoosegow1911
can1912
detention camp1916
pokey1919
slammer1952
joint1953
slam1960
1905 Everybody's Mag. 73/2 The penitentiary is known as the ‘big house’.
1916 Literary Digest 19 Aug. 424/3 The malefactor is sent away to the ‘big house’.
1940 F. S. Fitzgerald Let. 11 Apr. (1964) 68 I feel like a criminal who has been in a hideout, been caught, and has to go back to the Big House.
1988 Amer. Speech 63 126 What in the movies is the big house, in Tennessee is the Main Prison or The Walls.
2007 Herald Sun (Austral.) (Nexis) 6 Nov. 93 It looks as though Susan could be doing time in the big house.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1753