detinue

[ det-n-oo, -yoo ]

/ ˈdɛt nˌu, -ˈyu /

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noun Law.

an old commonlaw form of action to recover possession of personal property wrongfully detained.

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Origin of detinue

1425–75; late Middle English detenu<Anglo-French detenue, detinue detention, originally feminine past participle of detenir to detain

Words nearby detinue

detestation, dethatch, dethrone, detick, det. in dup., detinue, Detmold, detonate, detonation, detonator, detour

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use detinue in a sentence

The use of the action of trover gradually supplants the action of detinue, which involves compurgation.
Our Legal Heritage, 5th Ed.|S. A. Reilly
Detinue, in law, the form of action whereby a plaintiff seeks to recover a chattel personal unlawfully detained.
The New Gresham Encyclopedia|Various
In the manor courts, actions of debt, detinue, and covenant were frequent.
Our Legal Heritage, 5th Ed.|S. A. Reilly
Detinue, the primitive remedy, retained that mark of primitive procedure.
The Common Law|Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

British Dictionary definitions for detinue

detinue

/ (ˈdɛtɪˌnjuː) /

noun

law an action brought by a plaintiff to recover goods wrongfully detained

Word Origin for detinue

C15: from Old French detenue, from detenir to detain

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012