The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
hoosegow \hoosegow\, hoosgow \hoosgow\n. [from Mexican Sp. jusgado jail, from Sp. juzgado court of justice.] a jail. [U. S. western slang] [WordNet 1.5]WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
hoosgow n 1: slang for a jail [syn: hoosegow, hoosgow]