Brothel: a building where prostitutes are available. synonyms: bagnio, bawdyhouse, bordello, cathouse, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, sporting house. Ranch: This usage dates back to the original Chicken Ranch near the town of La Grange, Texas, an old brothel that is no longer open which accepted chickens as payment during the Great Depression. Bordello : bordello, ranch, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. However, for legal or cultural reasons, establishments often describe themselves as massage parlors, bars, strip clubs, body rub parlours, studios, or by some other description. Sex work in a brothel is considered safer than street prostitution. Congress and Senate included