behind bars
In the clink
Behind bars means in prison or jail.
The bars refer to the metal bars of a cell.
The phrase works literally for incarceration and figuratively for any confinement: He spent ten years behind bars for armed robbery.
The activists vowed to put the corrupt officials behind bars.
Confinement for offenders
- jailDetention facility
- cellBasic unit of life
- penitentiaryFacility for convicted criminals
- lockupTemporary detention facility
detention · custody · inmate · prisoner · convict · cellblock · warden · solitary
Judicial examination of claims
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- verdictOfficial court decision
- judgeOne who decides
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
defense · courtroom · attorney · plea · arraignment · indictment · sentencing · parole
Complete thought, grammatically
- penaltyPunishment for wrongdoing
- retributionPunishment for wrongdoing
- justiceFair treatment under law
- deterrencePrevention via threatened consequences
correction · accountability · reform · penance · atonement · consequence · discipline · sanction
Serious criminal offense
- convictionFirmly held belief
- offenseViolation or umbrage
- theftUnlawful taking of property
- robberyTheft through intimidation
fraud · assault · burglary · misdemeanor · arson · trafficking · homicide · manslaughter
prison
Confinement for offenders
- jailDetention facility
- cellBasic unit of life
- penitentiaryFacility for convicted criminals
lockup · detention · custody · inmate · prisoner · convict · cellblock · warden · solitary · correctional
trial
Judicial examination of claims
prosecution · defense · courtroom · attorney · plea · arraignment · indictment · sentencing · parole · probation
sentence
Complete thought, grammatically
- penaltyPunishment for wrongdoing
- retributionPunishment for wrongdoing
- justiceFair treatment under law
deterrence · correction · accountability · reform · penance · atonement · consequence · discipline · sanction · condemnation
felony
Serious criminal offense
- convictionFirmly held belief
- offenseViolation or umbrage
- theftUnlawful taking of property
robbery · fraud · assault · burglary · misdemeanor · arson · trafficking · homicide · manslaughter · embezzlement
- Prison Memoirsprison memoirs, prison letters, doing time, hard time, prison life
- prisonsprison, inmates, cells, prisons, prisoner
- captivitycaptive, prisoner, detained, imprisoned, incarcerated
- prisoncell block, inmate, jail, prison, prisoner
- punishmentsjail, prison, timeout, grounded, fine
behind barsfree
Without payment or restriction
at liberty · free as a bird · on the loose · at large · unconfined
behind, bars, barred, barring, handlebars, sidebar, sandbar, crowbar, crossbar