Definition of detain Detain

/dɪtejˈn/ - [diteyn] - de•tain

We found 12 definitions of detain from 6 different sources.

What does detain mean?

WordNet

Verb
detain - deprive of freedom; take into confinement
		confine
		unloose, unloosen, liberate, loose, release, free loosen the ties of; "unloose your sneakers"
		keep maintain by writing regular records; "keep a diary"; "maintain a record"; "keep notes"
		straiten squeeze together
		gaol, immure, put behind bars, incarcerate, jail, jug, imprison, remand, lag, put away stew in an earthenware jug; "jug the rabbit"
		intern work as an intern; "The young doctor is interning at the Medical Center this year"
		bind over order a defendant to be placed in custody pending the outcome of a proceedings against him or her; "The defendant was bound over for trial"
		imprison lock up or confine, in or as in a jail; "The suspects were imprisoned without trial"; "the murderer was incarcerated for the rest of his life"
		cage, cage in confine in a cage; "The animal was caged"
		pin down, trap define clearly; "I cannot narrow down the rules for this game"
		keep in cause to stay indoors
detain - cause to be slowed down or delayed; "Traffic was delayed by the bad weather"; "she delayed the work that she didn't want to perform"
		delay, hold up
		hurry, rush urge to an unnatural speed; "Don't rush me, please!"
		decelerate, slow, slow up, retard, slow down reduce the speed of; "He slowed down the car"
		stonewall engage in delaying tactics or refuse to cooperate; "The President stonewalled when he realized the plot was being uncovered by a journalist"
		catch contract; "did you catch a cold?"
		stall deliberately delay an event or action; "she doesn't want to write the report, so she is stalling"
		buy time act so as to delay an event or action in order to gain an advantage
detain - stop or halt; "Please stay the bloodshed!"
		stay, delay
		delay, retard, check cause to be slowed down or delayed; "Traffic was delayed by the bad weather"; "she delayed the work that she didn't want to perform"

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Wiktionary

detain (Verb)
Keep someone from proceeding by holding them back or making claims on their attention.
detain (Verb)
To put under custody.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

detain (v. t.)
To keep back or from; to withhold.
detain (v. t.)
To restrain from proceeding; to stay or stop; to delay; as, we were detained by an accident.
detain (v. t.)
To hold or keep in custody.
detain (n.)
Detention.

OmegaWiki DictionaryOmegaWiki Dictionary Ω

detain
To keep under guard.

Chambers DictionaryChamber's 20th Century Dictionary 📕

detain
de-tān′, v.t. to hold from or back: to stop: to keep: to keep in custody.—ns. Detain′er, one who detains: (law) the holding of what belongs to another: a warrant to a sheriff to keep in custody a person already in confinement: Detain′ment (same as Detention). [O. Fr. detenir—L. detinēre—de, from, and tenēre, to hold.]