detain
Translation
to detain, to hold, to delay
Examples
Police can detain a suspect for 48 hours.
Police can detain a suspect for 48 hours.
An urgent call detained him at the office.
An urgent call detained him at the office.
Grammar Patterns
((sb.)) to hold (sb.) in custody or delay (sb.) Police can detain a suspect for 48 hours.
Similar Words
Synonyms: hold, arrest, delay; Antonyms: release, free
Etymology
From Latin 'de-' (away) + 'tenere' (to hold), literally 'to hold away'.
Memory Tips
Think of being 'de-railed' and 'con-tained', which causes a delay or holds you up.