Advertisement

Advertisement

poorhouse

[ poor-hous ]

noun

, plural poor·hous·es [poor, -hou-ziz].
  1. (formerly) an institution in which paupers were maintained at public expense.


poorhouse

/ ˈpɔː-; ˈpʊəˌhaʊs /

noun

  1. (formerly) a publicly maintained institution offering accommodation to the poor
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of poorhouse1

First recorded in 1735–45; poor + house
Discover More

Example Sentences

The closure of poorhouses shifted that burden onto hospitals.

For these people, under the older dispensation, there was nothing but the poorhouse, the jail or starvation by the roadside.

I don't much like to say the poorhouse, where I was took after my folks died, and I hate to say Mrs. Stott's truck-farm.

When we arrived at Posen we took up our quarters in the Jewish poorhouse, the master of which was a poor jobbing tailor.

But it would mean all the difference between penury and dread of the poorhouse on the one hand and safety on the other to David.

In a few weeks, they got on so well that they began to take their relations and friends out of that terrible poorhouse.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


poor farmpoorish