Gaol

A prison for temporary confine. There is said to be a distinction between “gaol” and “prison,” the former being a place for tempotary or provisional confinement, or for the punishment of the lighter offenses and misdemeanors, while the latter is a place for permanent or longcontinued confinement, or for the punishment of graver crimes. In modern usage, this distinction is commonly taken betiveen the words “gaol” and “penitentiary,” (or state's prison,) but the name “prison” is indiscriminately applied to either,