 detention |
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| 1. | [ noun ] the act of restraining of a person's liberty by confining them | |
| Synonyms: | confinement | |
| Related terms: | restraint imprisonment house_arrest commitment confine | |
| 2. | [ noun ] a state of being confined (usually for a short time) | |
| Synonyms: | custody hold | |
| Examples: | "his detention was politically motivated" "the prisoner is on hold" "he is in the custody of police" |
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| Related terms: | confinement restrain | |
| 3. | [ noun ] a punishment in which a student must stay at school after others have gone home | |
| Examples: | "the detention of tardy pupils" |
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| Related terms: | punishment confine | |
| 4. | [ noun ] the act of delaying; inactivity resulting in something being put off until a later time | |
| Synonyms: | delay holdup | |
| Related terms: | inactivity gap dalliance procrastination slowdown filibuster postponement tarrying demurrage forbearance delay | |
| Similar spelling: |
detent detente detonation deadend |
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