| Library / English Dictionary |
DETENTION
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
A punishment in which a student must stay at school after others have gone home
Example:
the detention of tardy pupils
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("detention" is a kind of...):
penalisation; penalization; penalty; punishment (the act of punishing)
Derivation:
detain (deprive of freedom; take into confinement)
Sense 2
Meaning:
A state of being confined (usually for a short time)
Example:
he is in the custody of police
Synonyms:
custody; detainment; detention; hold
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("detention" is a kind of...):
confinement (the state of being confined)
Derivation:
detain (deprive of freedom; take into confinement)
