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# detention

noun (detention, detentions)

«detention» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A punishment at school where a pupil must stay in after lessons or at break time. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detention/#m1)
2. Being kept somewhere by police or other officials so you cannot leave. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detention/#m2)

### In the lessons

In school life, a detention is given for bad behaviour, being late or not doing homework; it is part of the rules and consequences. In stories, a character may get a detention and miss something fun. Phrases: «get a detention», «be in detention», «after-school detention», «lunchtime detention».

### Examples

- Tom got a detention for being rude to the teacher. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detention/#x1)
- I had to stay in detention at lunchtime. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detention/#x2)
- If you forget your homework three times, you get a detention. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detention/#x3)
- Detention lasted half an hour after school. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detention/#x4)
- She spent detention writing a sorry letter. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detention/#x5)
- The suspect was held in detention by the police. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detention/#x6)

### Note

Countable for the school punishment: «a detention», «two detentions». Related verb: detain (keep someone back). Do not confuse with «attention».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «detention» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/detention/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«detention» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/detention.html) on Mova free.