chokey

Where does the word "chokey" come from? It comes from Sanskrit catuska, passing through Hindi before entering English (1698).

Chokey’s story begins in Sanskrit: catuska meant “four-sided.” Meant 'consisting of four, quadrangular'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Hindi as chauki. Narrowed to mean a four-sided guardhouse, customs post, or police station. It reached English by 1698 as chokey. British soldiers and traders adopted the word for a lockup, later general slang for jail. Today, chokey means british slang for prison or jail.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient catuska "four-sided", meant 'consisting of four, quadrangular'.
2. Stage 2 · Hindi · medieval chauki "a police post, customs house, or lockup", narrowed to mean a four-sided guardhouse, customs post, or police station.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1698 chokey "prison, jail", British soldiers and traders adopted the word for a lockup, later general slang for jail.