detention

detention — noun

1. the situation in which a person is kept in a police station or prison by legal a

1.名詞B2
釋義

the situation in which a person is kept in a police station or prison by legal authority, usually while waiting for a trial or other legal decision

例句

The refugee was held in detention for three weeks before her case was reviewed.

passive: be held in detention

Police can keep a suspect in detention for up to 48 hours without charging them.

modal: keep [sb] in detention

同義詞
  • confinement

    broader term; can include hospital isolation or house arrest, not just police custody

  • custody

    more specific to police holding someone for questioning or while awaiting a decision

  • imprisonment

    longer-term and usually follows a conviction; more severe in register

反義詞
  • release

    the opposite action or state of being set free from detention

文法句型

in + detention

detention of + [person]

用法筆記

Frequently uncountable when referring to the general state ('held in detention'), but countable when referring to a specific period or instance ('three detentions in one year').

常見錯誤

❌The criminal was sent to detention for five years.
✅The criminal was sent to prison for five years.
💡Detention usually refers to short-term holding before trial or for minor offences, not a long prison sentence.
❌The soldier was in detention during the war.
✅The soldier was in captivity during the war.
💡Detention implies legal or police authority, not military capture.

2. a school punishment that requires a student to remain in the school building aft

2.名詞B1
釋義

a school punishment that requires a student to remain in the school building after the regular school day has finished

例句

Vivek got detention for arriving late to class three times this week.

collocation: get detention for [reason]

The headteacher decided to abolish Saturday detention after complaints from parents.

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

get + detention

give + [sb] + detention

用法筆記

Commonly used with verbs like get, give, have, serve, and do. In British and American schools the term is widely understood, though American English sometimes uses 'after-school detention' for clarity.

常見錯誤

❌I got detention for helping the teacher.
✅I got detention for talking during the test.
💡Detention is a punishment, not a reward; the reason must be a rule violation.
❌The student was sent to detention for a month.
✅The student was suspended for a month.
💡Detention typically lasts one afternoon or a few hours, not weeks.