Word
custody
Custody is the legal responsibility for caring for someone or something, especially a child or a detainee.
Meanings
the legal right and responsibility to care for a child
the state of being kept by the police or other authorities; detention
safe keeping or control of an object entrusted to someone
Definition
Custody refers to the lawful control and responsibility for a person or property. Most commonly, it describes who has the right and duty to care for a child after separation or divorce. It can also mean being held by the police or other authorities, or having an item kept safely in someone’s care.
Examples
- After months of negotiation, she was granted joint custody of her daughter.
- He remained in police custody until his lawyer arrived at the station.
- They left the original documents in the museum’s custody for safekeeping.
- Because I travel frequently, I agreed that my brother would have temporary custody of my son during the school term.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse custody (legal care/control) with guardianship, which can be broader and may not always involve day-to-day care.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More nouns
- fascism Fascism is an extreme right-wing political system with a powerful dictator, strong nationalism, and…
- gaslighting Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that makes someone doubt their own memory, judg…
- narcissist A narcissist is someone who is excessively self-centered and craves admiration while showing little…
- empathy Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings.
- metaphor A metaphor is a way of describing something by saying it is something else to create a clear image …