DETENTION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does detention mean? 

• DETENTION (noun)
  The noun DETENTION has 2 senses:

1. a state of being confined (usually for a short time)

2. a punishment in which a student must stay at school after others have gone home

  Familiarity information: DETENTION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DETENTION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A state of being confined (usually for a short time)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

custody; detainment; detention; hold

Context example:

he is in the custody of police

Hypernyms ("detention" is a kind of...):

confinement (the state of being confined)

Derivation:

detain (deprive of freedom; take into confinement)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A punishment in which a student must stay at school after others have gone home

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

the detention of tardy pupils

Hypernyms ("detention" is a kind of...):

penalisation; penalization; penalty; punishment (the act of punishing)

Derivation:

detain (deprive of freedom; take into confinement)

 Context examples 

Maidstone jail is a safer place of detention, observed Traddles; and though the law may be longer in righting us, and may not be able to right us so completely as you can, there is no doubt of its punishing YOU.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)