detain

fermare, trattenere

Da parte delle autorità, trattenere una persona senza permetterle di andarsene.

In inglese semplice: 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?

Come si usa: detain someone for something (Police detained him for questioning.)

Sinonimi: hold, take into custody

Contrari: release

Espressioni comuni: detain a suspect, detain someone overnight, detain someone legally

trattenere, ritardare

Far restare qualcuno in un posto più a lungo di quanto vorrebbe, impedendogli di andarsene o proseguire.

In inglese semplice: 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.

Sinonimi: delay, hold up

Espressioni comuni: detain someone briefly, detain someone longer, detain someone here

trattenere, sequestrare

Trattenere ufficialmente merci, di solito per verificare se possono essere lasciate passare.

In inglese semplice: 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.

Sinonimi: hold, seize

Contrari: release

Espressioni comuni: detain imported goods, detain a shipment, detain the cargo