DETAIN • FREE-TRANSLATOR.COM • Definition of Detain

Translators

Dictionaries

Courses

Other

Home

Add this Dictionary
to your website!
See more options...

/dɪtˈeɪn/ Listen

verb

Detain v. t. (past & past part. detained; pres. part. detaining)

To keep back or from; to withhold. "Detain not the wages of the hireling."

To restrain from proceeding; to stay or stop; to delay; as, we were detained by an accident. "Let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee."

To hold or keep in custody.

Synonyms: To withhold; retain; stop; stay; arrest; check; retard; delay; hinder.

noun

Detain n. Detention. (Obs.)

See images of 'Detain'

Etymology of 'Detain'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

Share |

"Detain" Quotes from Famous Books

... storekeeper, and he smiled again. "If my fibre had been a little tougher, this thing would never have happened. There is only one more request I have to make. And that is, to assure Mr. Duncan, from me, that I did not detain ...

— The Crossing • Winston Churchill

... that he would not circulate any news or take any step in advance, on condition that the Rougons should secure him the custom of the college. As she was leaving, Felicite advised him not to compromise himself any further. It would be sufficient for him to detain the letters and distribute them only on ...

— The Fortune of the Rougons • Emile Zola

... Worthington looked in the direction in which Bessie had gone, and at last thought that she could see some one approaching. As the figure drew nearer, she could see that it was her child, and with a glad cry ran to meet her. "O Bessie," cried the mother, "what has happened to detain you? Your father and a company of men are out searching the woods for you. Dear ...

— The value of a praying mother • Isabel C. Byrum

... few moments' conversation. But if a man meets a lady, and wishes to chat with her, he should, after greeting her, ask permission to join her, and walk with her for a short distance; he should by no means detain her standing on the sidewalk. He should not accompany her all the way to her destination, nor prolong such a casual conversation beyond a few moments. He should leave her at a corner, and lift his hat respectfully as ...

— Etiquette • Agnes H. Morton

... gave a forced laugh. He wished the Governor would not detain him with a joke now ...

— Lifted Masks - Stories • Susan Glaspell

More quotes...