Street
stir
What does stir mean?
Prison, as in 'in stir' or 'stir crazy' (driven mad by confinement).
"Three years in stir will change a man."
Origin
19th-century slang, possibly from Romani 'stariben' (prison) or the association with stirring porridge.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'stir' mean?
'Stir' means prison, as in 'in stir', and gives us 'stir crazy' — driven mad by being confined.
Where does 'stir' come from?
It's 19th-century slang, possibly from the Romani word 'stariben' meaning prison, or from the association with stirring prison porridge.
What does 'stir crazy' mean?
'Stir crazy' means restless or mentally unsettled from being confined for a long time, drawing on 'stir' as a word for prison.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
