detention

[ dih-ten-shuhn ]
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noun
  1. the act of detaining.

  2. the state of being detained.

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

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

adjective
  1. of or relating to detention or used to detain: the detention room of a police station.

Origin of detention

1
1400–50; late Middle English <Latin dētentiōn- (stem of dētentiō), equivalent to dētent(us) detained (past participle of dētinēre;see detain) + -iōn--ion

Other words from detention

  • non·de·ten·tion, noun
  • pre·de·ten·tion, noun

Words Nearby detention

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How to use detention in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for detention

detention

/ (dɪˈtɛnʃən) /


noun
  1. the act of detaining or state of being detained

    • custody or confinement, esp of a suspect awaiting trial

    • (as modifier): a detention order

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

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

Origin of detention

1
C16: from Latin dētentiō a keeping back; see detain

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