detain
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
-
to delay; hold back; stop
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to confine or hold in custody; restrain
-
archaic to retain or withhold
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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detainsimple
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detainssimple
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have detainedperfect
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has detainedperfect
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am detainingprogressive
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are detainingprogressive
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is detainingprogressive
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have been detainingperfect progressive
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has been detainingperfect progressive
Past
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detainedsimple
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had detainedperfect
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was detainingprogressive
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were detainingprogressive
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had been detainingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of detain
First recorded in 1480–90; detainen, from Anglo-French, Old French detenir, from unattested Vulgar Latin dētenīre, for Latin dētinēre, equivalent to dē- de- + -tinēre, combining form of tenēre “to hold”
Explanation
When you detain someone, you hold them back, slow them down, or stop them from moving on. If you are detained by the police, you may be late for the big football game, even if you were speeding to get there by the kickoff. There are lots of words that contain the root tain, like contain and retain. These come from Latin tenere, which means "to hold." Detain is specifically used when you're talking about holding someone so they can't go anywhere. It's often used in discussions involving the police who detain people who they think might be guilty. But you can use detain, say, when you're explaining why you were late: "I was detained at the office by a conference call that wouldn't end. Sorry."
Vocabulary lists containing detain
Echo
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Enrique's Journey
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This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for January 30–February 5, 2021
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Beyond the ship, but drop me at her side, 240 Lest ancient Nestor, though against my will, Detain me in his palace through desire To feast me, for I dread the least delay.
From The Odyssey of Homer by Cowper, William
Detain you! why I hope your ladyship will not say as how we have offered to detain you?
From The Sylph, Volume I and II by Cavendish, Georgiana
It ran thus: "Detain her; suffer no letters from her to reach the post."
From Davenport Dunn, Volume 2 (of 2) A Man Of Our Day by Lever, Charles James
Detain her here, while I overtake Felix, and prevent him from speaking to the General!
From The Stepmother, A Drama in Five Acts by Balzac, Honoré de
Detain the Count, therefore, till you hear from me; I shall start in the morning.'
From Gerald Fitzgerald The Chevalier by Lever, Charles James
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
