A prison or place of confinement, especially a workhouse or house of correction; the term originated from Bridewell Palace in London, which was converted into a prison.
From Bridewell Palace in London, named after St. Bride's Well (a well dedicated to Saint Bride). In the 1550s, the palace was converted into a workhouse and prison, and the name became synonymous with any similar institution, especially workhouses that disciplined poor people through labor.
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