GAOL (Gaola, Fr. Geole, i. e. Caveola, "a cage for birds"), is used metaphorically for a prison. It is a strong place or house for keeping of debtors, &c. and wherein a man is restrained of his liberty to answer an offence done against the law: and every county hath two gaols, one for debtors, which may be any house where the sheriff pleases; the other for the peace and matters of the crown, which is the county gaol.
If a gaol be out of repair, or insufficient, &c. justices of peace, in their quarter sessions, may contract with workmen for the rebuilding or repairing it; and by their warrant order the sum agreed on for that purpose to be levied on the several hundreds, and other divisions in the county, by a just rate, 11 and 12 Will. III. c. 19. See PRISON.