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

The crackdown has seen detentions of broad categories of immigrants -- and sometimes US citizens.

From Barron's

Our audience voted for the donkeys to enter the circus, at least until they were deemed obsolete and sent to detention centers, which felt uncomfortably of the moment.

From Los Angeles Times

Samson was discharged from hospital the same day and the student, who was not named for legal reasons, was sentenced to 14 months detention.

From BBC

Her detention had courted criticism from Turkey, where Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc called it "unacceptable for someone to be prosecuted because of their faith or their support for Palestine."

From Barron's

"We demand his immediate release," Machado said, alleging that his detention undermined promises to end decades of repression and one-party rule, but still asserting her determination to return to Venezuela.

From Barron's

Related Words

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