Penitentiary vs Workhouse - What's the difference?
penitentiary | workhouse |
(US) A state or federal prison for convicted felons.
A priest in the Roman Catholic Church who administers the sacrament of penance.
(obsolete) One who prescribes the rules and measures of penance.
(obsolete) One who does penance.
(obsolete) A small building in a monastery, or a part of a church, where penitents confessed.
(obsolete) An office of the papal court which examines cases of conscience, confession, absolution from vows, etc., and delivers decisions, dispensations, etc.; run by a cardinal called the Grand Penitentiary who is appointed by the pope.
(obsolete) An officer in some dioceses since 1215, vested with power from the bishop to absolve in cases reserved to him.
Of or relating to penance; penitential.
* Archbishop Bramhall:
Of or relating to the punishment of criminals.
* Blackstone:
(label) Formerly, an institution for the poor homeless, funded by the local parish where the able-bodied were required to work. (w)
*
*:"I don't want to spoil any comparison you are going to make," said Jim, "but I was at Winchester and New College." ΒΆ "That will do," said Mackenzie. "I was dragged up at the workhouse school till I was twelve."
(label) A prison in which the sentence includes manual labour.
As nouns the difference between penitentiary and workhouse
is that penitentiary is (us) a state or federal prison for convicted felons while workhouse is (label) formerly, an institution for the poor homeless, funded by the local parish where the able-bodied were required to work (w).As an adjective penitentiary
is of or relating to penance; penitential.penitentiary
English
Noun
(penitentiaries)- (Francis Bacon)
- (Hammond)
- (Shipley)
Synonyms
* (prison) penExternal links
*Adjective
(-)- A penitentiary tax.
- Penitentiary houses.