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# gaoler

noun (a gaoler, gaolers); also spelt jailer, jailor

«gaoler» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

(UK, old spelling) A person whose job is to guard prisoners in a prison; a jailer or prison officer. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gaoler/#m1)

### In the lessons

Gaoler is the old British spelling of jailer, found in old books. In The Wind in the Willows, Toad is locked in a dungeon guarded by an old gaoler; the gaoler's kind daughter feels sorry for Toad and helps him escape dressed as her aunt, the washerwoman. Today we say prison officer.

### Examples

- The old gaoler jangled his keys outside Toad's cell. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gaoler/#x1)
- The gaoler's daughter brought Toad hot buttered toast and tea. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gaoler/#x2)
- The gaoler locked the heavy door and walked away. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gaoler/#x3)
- Long ago the gaoler lived in a small house beside the gaol. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gaoler/#x4)
- The gaoler counted the prisoners every evening. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gaoler/#x5)
- In the story, the gaoler never noticed that Toad had gone. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gaoler/#x6)
- The gaoler of the castle was a grumpy man with a lantern. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gaoler/#x7)
- Luckily her gaoler was away, always trying to catch the stud of mares, so for the moment she was free and alone. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gaoler/#x8)

### Note

Sounds exactly like «jailer». The spelling gaol/gaoler is old British; in the USA and most modern writing it is jail/jailer. Today the job title is prison officer (UK) or correctional officer (US).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «gaoler» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/gaoler/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«gaoler» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/gaoler.html) on Mova free.