Street
cage
What does cage mean?
An inmate's cell, emphasizing its confining, barred nature.
"Twenty-three hours a day locked in the cage."
Origin
From the caged feel of a cell.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'cage' mean in prison?
It's slang for an inmate's cell, emphasizing how confining and barred it feels.
How is 'cage' used in a sentence?
It stands in for cell, as in 'Twenty-three hours a day locked in the cage.'
Why call a cell a 'cage'?
The word plays up the caged, animal-like feeling of being locked in a small barred space, which is why inmates use it in place of the neutral word 'cell.'
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