Island, noun

Forms:
Also with small initial.
colloquial
The Island: Robben Island sense 1. Also attributive.
1969 M. Benson At Still Point 159There are days on the Island when the warders are ‘greedy for violence’.
1982 A.P. Brink Chain of Voices 210‘If I’m lucky, it’s the gallows.’ ‘And if you’re not?’ ‘Then it’s the island.’ ‘The island?’ ‘Robben Island.’
1990 G. Slovo Ties of Blood 611‘Are you a political?’ one asked. ‘Been to the Island?’ said the other. ‘Do you know Mandela?’
1990 Independent (U.K.) 12 Feb. 6Nelson always insisted on the island that we had to forget all our factionalism...We had a common enemy, the white prison authorities.
The Island: Robben Island sense 1. Also attributive.
Derivatives:
Hence Islander  noun, one imprisoned on Robben Island; Robben Islander, see Robben Island.
1990 X. Sigonyela in New African 18 June 2Police threats at Islander’s welcome in PE.
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