Workhouses

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Workhouse \Work"house`\, n.; pl. {Workhouses}. [AS.
     weorch[=u]s.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. A house where any manufacture is carried on; a workshop.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. A house in which idle and vicious persons are confined to
        labor.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A house where the town poor are maintained at public
        expense, and provided with labor; a poorhouse.
        [1913 Webster]