detention

American  

[dih-ten-shuhn] / dɪˈtɛn ʃən /

noun

1. the act of detaining.

2. the state of being detained.

3. maintenance of a person in custody or confinement, especially while awaiting a court decision.

4. the withholding of what belongs to or is claimed by another.

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adjective

1. of or relating to detention or used to detain.

   the detention room of a police station.

detention British  

/ dɪˈtɛnʃən /

noun

1. the act of detaining or state of being detained

2. 1. custody or confinement, esp of a suspect awaiting trial

   2. ( as modifier )

      a detention order

3. a form of punishment in which a pupil is detained after school

4. the withholding of something belonging to or claimed by another

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Other Word Forms

• nondetention noun
• predetention noun

Etymology

Origin of detention

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin dētentiōn- (stem of dētentiō ), equivalent to dētent ( us ) detained (past participle of dētinēre; detain ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Tommy Schaefer, 32, was released last week from prison on the island of Bali and moved to an immigration detention facility there on Friday.

From Barron's

Federal defense attorneys have filed motions to dismiss indictments, citing difficulties accessing their clients in immigration detention centers and, in at least one case, struggling to locate them at all.

From Los Angeles Times

The former trainer claimed ICE has cut 240 hours of lessons from a 584-hour program, which he said meant dispensing with classes about firearm safety, lawful arrests, proper detention and the limits to officers’ authority.

From The Wall Street Journal

Fawaz has been held in detention centres twice and faced deportation threats.

From BBC

The U.S. military moved some 5,700 Islamic State-affiliated prisoners from detention at a network of camps in Syria to Iraq after the government takeover of the northeast in January.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• arrest
• custody
• delay
• incarceration
• internment
• quarantine