[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/jailbird.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / jailbird

[← J](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/J/)

# jailbird

«jailbird» in Mova's school dictionary: **in prison or has often been in prison** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

noun (a jailbird, jailbirds) — informal

### meaning for a pupil

(informal, old-fashioned) A person who is in prison or has often been in prison. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jailbird/#m1)

### sense in the lessons

In stories, cartoons and old films about criminals. It is a joking or rude label. Phrases: an old jailbird.

### examples

- The jailbird escaped through a tunnel. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jailbird/#x1)
- In the cartoon the jailbird wore a striped suit. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jailbird/#x2)
- Grandad called the villain an old jailbird. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jailbird/#x3)
- The story is about a jailbird who turns his life around. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jailbird/#x4)
- The jailbird was back behind bars. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jailbird/#x5)
- Calling someone a jailbird is not kind. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jailbird/#x6)

### note

Informal. Also gaolbird (old British spelling: gaol = jail). Plural jailbirds.

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «jailbird» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/J/jailbird/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.