DictionaryscrewPrison guard
noun

screw

A prison guard, in slang.

In the prison memoir, a screw orders the inmates back to their cells.

Etymology

Screw is established prison slang for a guard. Several explanations have been offered, but the exact origin of this person-name is uncertain.

More examples

  • The narrator described the night screw as unusually quiet.
  • Two screws escorted the prisoner down the corridor.
  • The former inmate used screw as slang for a guard.

Forms

screw · screws

Similar words

guard
The neutral term for someone who watches or controls access.
jailer
A person responsible for keeping prisoners in custody.