Brig Meaning
/bɹɪɡ/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA two-masted vessel, square-rigged on both foremast and mainmast
nounA jail or guardhouse, especially in a naval military prison or jail on a ship, navy base, or (in fiction) spacecraft.
Sentence Examples
Throw him in the brig.
Tom is in the brig for disobeying a direct order from his commanding officer.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The prisoner was confined to the ship's ____ after trying to escape.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
In the old days, a ____ was a type of two-masted sailing ship city.
Word Origin & History
Abbreviated from brigantine, from Italian brigantino; in sense “jail”, from the use of such ships as prisons.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Now do thy speedy utmost, Meg, / And win the key-stane of the brig;"
— 1790, Robert Burns, Tam o' Shanter:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The prisoner was confined to the ship's ____ after trying to escape.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
In the old days, a ____ was a type of two-masted sailing ship city.