asylum Hear it!

asylum definition

asy·lum (ə sī′ləm)

noun

  1. Obsolete a sanctuary, as a temple, where criminals, debtors, etc. were safe from arrest
  2. a place where one is safe and secure; refuge
  3. the protection given by a sanctuary or refuge or by one country to refugees from another country
  4. an institution for the care of the mentally ill, or of the aged, the poor, etc.: in this sense, largely replaced by such terms as mental (or psychiatric) hospital, nursing home, etc.

Etymology: L < Gr asylon < asylos, inviolable < a-, without + sylon, right of seizure

Comments ( 1 )
 Dale Wood'> The comment that the previous responder, "Druge", made is exactly right in there is also a legal definition and use of the word "asylum", as in political asylum. Furthermore, we can apply the word asylum to things that are not institional, such as in these example sentences: "Jane went into another room, alone, to seek the asylum of her own thoughts," and "The multi-millionaire built his castle in the remote Andes as his asylum from the craziness of the outside world." Once again, the concept of "a place of refuge" is being applied and generalized here. DAW

Posted at 2010-01-03 05:46:13

 


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