keep, retain, detain, withhold, reserve mean to hold in one's possession or under one's control. keep may suggest a holding securely in one's possession, custody, or control.

DETAIN definition: 1. to force someone officially to stay in a place: 2. to delay someone for a short length of time…. Learn more.

When people such as the police detain someone, they keep them in a place under their control. The act allows police to detain a suspect for up to 48 hours.

Definition of detain verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

DETAIN definition: to keep from proceeding; keep waiting; delay. See examples of detain used in a sentence.

detain - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. All Free.

To keep from proceeding; delay or retard: Our friends were detained by heavy traffic. 2. To keep in custody or confinement: The police detained several suspects for questioning. 3. Archaic To retain or …

Dec 15, 2025 · detain (third-person singular simple present detains, present participle detaining, simple past and past participle detained) (transitive) To keep something from proceeding or coming to …

detain, v. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

When you detain someone, you hold them back, slow them down, or stop them from moving on. If you are detained by the police, you may be late for the big football game, even if you were speeding to …