detain

placer en détention, retenir

Pour les autorités, garder une personne sous leur contrôle sans la laisser partir.

En anglais simple : If officials do this, they hold someone and do not allow them to leave.

• Police detained two men.
• She was detained at the border for three hours.
• Can officers detain someone without giving a reason?

Comment l'utiliser : detain someone for something (Police detained him for questioning.)

Synonymes : hold, take into custody

Contraires : release

Expressions courantes : detain a suspect, detain someone overnight, detain someone legally

retenir, retarder

Garder quelqu’un quelque part plus longtemps qu’il ne le souhaite, en l’empêchant de partir ou de poursuivre son activité.

En anglais simple : To keep someone somewhere longer than they want, preventing them from leaving or continuing.

• I won't detain you long.
• A last-minute meeting detained her at the office.
• Please don't detain him; he has a train to catch.

Synonymes : delay, hold up

Expressions courantes : detain someone briefly, detain someone longer, detain someone here

retenir, saisir

Retenir officiellement des marchandises, généralement pour vérifier si leur passage peut être autorisé.

En anglais simple : To take goods and hold them officially, usually while checking whether they can be allowed through.

• Customs officers detained the goods.
• The shipment was detained until its paperwork arrived.
• Officials may detain cargo that contains banned products.

Synonymes : hold, seize

Contraires : release

Expressions courantes : detain imported goods, detain a shipment, detain the cargo