jailbreak
UK[ˈdʒeɪlbreɪk]US[ˈdʒeɪlbreɪk]
n
the act of escaping from a jail or prison.
n
the act of modifying a device, especially a smartphone or video game console, to remove restrictions imposed by the manufacturer or operator.
Morpheme Breakdown
jail
break
jail
break
Etymology
the word 'jailbreak' is a transparent compound formed from two english words of distinct origins. 'jail' entered english from the old french 'jaiole', which itself derived from the late latin 'gabiola', a diminutive of 'cavea' meaning 'cage'. 'break' is a native english word, descending directly from the old english 'brecan', with a proto-germanic root meaning to shatter. the compound literally means "to break out of jail," a concept that dates to at least the 19th century. in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the term was semantically extended into the digital realm, where it metaphorically describes the act of breaking the software restrictions on a device, likening the manufacturer's locked system to a prison from which the user escapes to gain greater control.
Analysis
Structure: jail + break
- jail (noun): from middle english 'jaiole', 'gayole', from old french 'jaiole', 'gaiole', meaning 'cage, prison'. its functional role is as the primary noun, specifying the location.
- break (verb): from old english 'brecan', meaning 'to separate into parts violently, shatter'. its functional role is as the verb, specifying the action performed upon the noun.
Examples
the prisoners orchestrated a daring jailbreak through a tunnel.
performing a jailbreak on your phone may void its warranty.
the news of the jailbreak caused a major manhunt in the surrounding counties.