1. U （政治）庇护，避难　 protection that a government gives to people who have left their own country, usually because they were in danger for political reasons
2. C 精神病院　 hospital where people who were mentally ill could be cared for, often for a long time

　seek ～　寻求政治避难
　deny sb's ～　拒绝给某人庇护
　apply for ～　申请政治避难
　ask for political ～　请求政治避难
　blind and dumb ～　盲哑院
　political ～　政治避难
　proprietary ～　私立救济院
　founding ～　育婴堂
　orphan ～　孤儿院
　～ for lepers　麻风院
　～ for the aged　养老院
　～ of political refugees　政治难民的避难处

　He sought asylum in the church.　他到教堂避难。
　The government gave asylum to some extremists from across the border.　政府给予那些越过国境来的极端主义者以政治庇护。
　During the war that followed, Britain gave asylum to many exiles from different lands.　在后来的战争时期，英国让许多来自不同国家的流亡者避难。
　Asylums are now called mental hospitals.　疯人院现在叫精神病医院。
　They put him into an asylum.　他们把他送到收容院。

 ♣ asylum, shelter
　这组词都有“能躲避威胁或打扰的安全地方或状态”的意思。其区别是：asylum特指为躲避抓捕或掠劫的人提供庇护的避难所。shelter常指可以暂时受到保护、可防止有害的人或物侵犯的躲避处。