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Behind bars

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Context Matters

Understand the situation to decide if 'behind bars' means jail or a metaphorical restriction.

Illustration for Context Matters
After the trial, the judge put the thief behind bars.
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Colloquial Usage

'Behind bars' is casual language, more common in spoken than formal written English.

Illustration for Colloquial Usage
The newscaster said the celebrity could end up behind bars.
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Suggests Punishment

The phrase usually implies a person is imprisoned as consequences of their actions.

Illustration for Suggests Punishment
Anyone caught stealing will find themselves behind bars.
Visual representation of the word "Behind bars"

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