Word

detention

noun C1

/dɪˈtɛnʃn̩/

Meanings

noun

a punishment in which a student must stay at school after lessons or during a break

noun

the act of keeping someone in custody or confinement and not allowing them to leave

Definition

Detention is a situation in which someone is kept in a place and not allowed to leave, especially as a punishment or under authority.

Detention means being required to stay somewhere and not go free, usually because a person has broken a rule or because an authority is checking something. In schools, it commonly refers to staying after class as a punishment. More generally, it can refer to a person being held by officials for a period of time. The focus is on restricted freedom of movement.

Examples

I got detention for leaving the lab before I had cleaned my workstation properly.
She served detention in the library and used the time to finish her reading assignment.
They challenged the detention as unnecessary, arguing that the misunderstanding could have been resolved with a warning.
Our teacher assigned detention to anyone who repeatedly interrupted the discussion, regardless of their reasons.
He dreaded detention, not because it was difficult, but because it made him miss his rehearsal.

Common mistake

Learners sometimes say "make detention" instead of the natural collocations "get detention" or "serve detention."