remand
Americanverb (used with object)
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remands,
present (3rd person singular)
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remanded,
past participle, past
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remanding
present participle
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to send back, remit, or consign again.
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Law.
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to send back (a case) to a lower court from which it was appealed, with instructions as to what further proceedings should be had.
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(of a court or magistrate) to send back (a prisoner or accused person) into custody, as to await further proceedings.
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noun
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remands
plural
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the act of remanding.
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the state of being remanded.
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a person remanded.
verb
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law (of a court or magistrate) to send (a prisoner or accused person) back into custody or admit him to bail, esp on adjourning a case for further inquiries to be made
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to send back
noun
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the sending of a prisoner or accused person back into custody (or sometimes admitting him to bail) to await trial or continuation of his trial
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the act of remanding or state of being remanded
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in custody or on bail awaiting trial or completion of one's trial
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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remandsimple
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remandssimple
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have remandedperfect
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has remandedperfect
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am remandingprogressive
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are remandingprogressive
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is remandingprogressive
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have been remandingperfect progressive
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has been remandingperfect progressive
Past
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remandedsimple
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had remandedperfect
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was remandingprogressive
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were remandingprogressive
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had been remandingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of remand
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English remaunden (verb), from Old French remander, from Late Latin remandāre “to repeat a command, send back word,” equivalent to re- re- + mandāre “to entrust, enjoin”; see mandate
Explanation
In law, to remand is to send a case back to be reconsidered by another court — or to imprison someone who's been arrested until they go to trial. In some cases, a court will remand a case for a completely new trial, and in others it might instruct the new court to use different legal standards, or to decide only on a defendant's sentence. When a judge remands an accused criminal — holding them in custody until the case goes to trial — it's often because they have a criminal record or have been charged with very serious crimes.
Vocabulary lists containing remand
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)
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Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
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Just Mercy
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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.
See Examples For:
The broadcaster also said facilities have been upgraded in the maximum-security Portlaoise Prison in County Laois where he is expected to be held on remand.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
Lord Scott continued his remand in custody as sentencing was deferred for reports.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Prison officers had previously claimed the 30-year-old, who was on remand for unpaid fines and breach of the peace, had smashed up his cell and covered himself in excrement.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
James Gray, mitigating, told the court his client accepted what he did and had behaved well while on remand in prison.
From BBC ● May 18, 2026
On remand for numerous larcenies: Mulch Diggums, the kleptomaniac dwarf.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
The ruling remands Abruquah’s case back to Prince George’s County Circuit Court for a new trial.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 21, 2023
This might happen if the court remands them to lower courts for further review.
From Washington Post ● May 18, 2020
The ruling remands the case back to the lower U.S.
From Washington Times ● May 16, 2016
Circuit Court of Appeals hears the government's appeal of Judge Robertson's habeas decision, and two months later remands Slahi's case to the District Court for rehearing.
From Slate ● Apr. 30, 2013
After several remands he was committed for trial at the Norwich Assizes.
From Norfolk Annals A Chronological Record of Remarkable Events in the Nineteeth Century, Vol. 2 by Charles Mackie
Hanning and his suspected accomplice were remanded in investigative custody by the Federal Court of Justice on Wednesday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
At least 58 people have died after being remanded to ICE facilities.
From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said investigators were looking into 217 suspects of which 56 had been remanded in custody while another 88 were granted conditional release.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
Gallacher was remanded in custody and will be sentenced next month.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
Failing to obtain a satisfactory answer, he refused to leave jail, whereupon police again remanded him to his cell upon a charge of disorderly conduct.
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
Police said officers were in the process of charging and remanding a 26-year-old man with criminal damage, while a 23-year-old man has been released under investigation.
From BBC ● Dec. 13, 2025
In court Wednesday, Judge Curtis Farber presided over arguments to retry the case, remanding 72-year-old Weinstein and ordering a trial after Labor Day.
From Salon ● May 1, 2024
Gen. Rob Bonta’s office, which supported remanding Prudholme’s case to the trial court, said it was reviewing the high court’s decision but otherwise declined to comment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2023
The Justice Department in May urged justices to consider remanding Nike's case to the Federal Circuit to give the company an opportunity to challenge the patent-invalidity decision based on the Merit Systems Protection Board's ruling.
From Reuters ● Jun. 26, 2023
I walked into the surgeon's office, keeping myself straight, and asked an order remanding me to my company.
From Who Goes There? by Blackwood Ketcham Benson
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.
