# durance vile

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/durance-vile
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A long prison sentence.

## Examples

- The prisoner spent years in durance vile.
- After the judge delivered the harsh sentence, the man was led away to begin his long durance vile.
- Condemned for his political dissent, the writer spent the remainder of his life in durance vile, far from the world he once knew.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.