English Explanatory Dictionary

detention

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The act of detaining or the state of being detained; hindrance.
  2. A temporary state of custody or confinement.
  3. Confinement of a prisoner awaiting trial.
  4. A punishment given to a student for a minor infraction, typically requiring the student to report to a designated room during recess or outside of school hours to work on homework or perform busywork.
  5. The bare physical control without the mental element of intention required for possession.
name
  1. A locality in Circular Head Council, north western Tasmania, Australia.

Pronunciation

/dɪˈtɛnʃn̩/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-detention.wav

Word forms

detention detentions

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French détention, from Latin detentio, detentionem. Equivalent to detain + -tion.

Synonyms

delay hindrance impediment retardation DT jug

Related words

detain

Derived words

detention basin detention cell detention center detention centre detention home detention officer detention pond detention time detention warrant house of detention mandatory detention nondetention predetention redetention

Translations

Bulgarian: задържа́не Bulgarian: арестува́не Chinese Mandarin: 拘留 Chinese Mandarin: 扣押 Danish: tilbageholdelse Finnish: pidätys Finnish: pidättäminen Finnish: hallussapito French: détention French: arrestation German: Haft German: Gewahrsam German: Innehabung German: Detention Indonesian: penahanan Irish: coinneáil Japanese: 拘留 Japanese: 拘置 Japanese: 抑留 Korean: 구류 Korean: 억류 Māori: mauheretanga Norwegian Bokmål: fengsling Norwegian Nynorsk: fengsling Occitan: detencion Polish: detencja Polish: dzierżenie Russian: задержа́ние Russian: аре́ст Swahili: kizuizini Tagalog: pagkabinbin Ukrainian: затримання Dutch: houderschap Dutch: detentie Italian: detenzione Portuguese: detenção Spanish: mera tenencia Swedish: innehav
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