DETENTION

[noun] [U]He claimed that his detention for anti-government activities was unlawful.They were arrested under a law which allows for indefinite detention without trial.Concern has been expressed about the death in detention of a number of political prisoners.(A) detention is also a form of punishment in which school children are made to stay at school for a short time after classes have ended.She's had four detentions this term. [C]We were kept late in detention. [U]A detention centre is a type of prison where young people can be kept for short periods of time, or (US also) a place where people who have entered the country without the necessary documents can be kept for short periods of time.