workhouse
noun/ˈwɜrkhaʊs/
Frequency rank: #15,786 of 20,003 in the WORDED list (wordfreq data)
Meaning
a public institution where the poor were required to live and work in exchange for food and lodging.
Example sentence
The orphaned children were sent to the local workhouse where they labored long hours in exchange for food and shelter.
Synonyms & related words
- poorhouse
- asylum
- institution
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