DETAIN
Dictionary entry overview: What does detain mean?
• DETAIN (verb)
The verb DETAIN has 3 senses:
1. deprive of freedom; take into confinement
2. stop or halt
3. cause to be slowed down or delayed
Familiarity information: DETAIN used as a verb is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• DETAIN (verb)
Meaning:
Deprive of freedom; take into confinement
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
detain; confine
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "detain"):
trap (place in a confining or embarrassing position)
cage; cage in (confine in a cage)
imprison (confine as if in a prison)
bind over (order a defendant to be placed in custody pending the outcome of a proceedings against him or her)
intern (deprive of freedom)
gaol; immure; imprison; incarcerate; jail; jug; lag; put away; put behind bars; remand (lock up or confine, in or as in a jail)
straiten (squeeze together)
keep (hold and prevent from leaving)
keep in (cause to stay indoors)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
Sentence example:
They want to detain the prisoners
Meaning:
Stop or halt
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
detain; delay; stay
Context example:
Please stay the bloodshed!
Hypernyms (to "detain" is one way to...):
check; delay; retard (slow the growth or development of)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Cause to be slowed down or delayed
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Synonyms:
delay; detain; hold up
Context examples:
Traffic was delayed by the bad weather / she delayed the work that she didn't want to perform
Hypernyms (to "detain" is one way to...):
decelerate; retard; slow; slow down; slow up (lose velocity; move more slowly)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "detain"):
stonewall (engage in delaying tactics or refuse to cooperate)
catch (delay or hold up; prevent from proceeding on schedule or as planned)
stall (deliberately delay an event or action)
buy time (act so as to delay an event or action in order to gain an advantage)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
