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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.

Search results for 'detain':

detain verb (detained, detaining) 1 to stop, hold back, keep waiting or delay someone or something. 2 said of the police, etc: to keep someone in a cell, prison or elsewhere, especially before trial. See also detention. detainable adj. detainment noun.
ETYMOLOGY: 15c in sense 2; 16c in sense 1; from French detenir to hold.