---
title: detain — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «detain» in the school dictionary: To keep someone in a place and not let them leave, such as the police holding a suspect. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# detain

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** them, police, I, man, storm, guard · **What happens:** keep, not let, leave, hold, delay, not detain · **To what, where:** someone, place, them, suspect, you, pupil · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«detain» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [detain in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/detain.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To keep someone in a place and not let them leave, such as the police holding a suspect.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:detain:m1:1
# text = To keep someone in a place and not let them leave, such as the police holding a suspect.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
10	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	leave	leave	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
13	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|ExtPos=ADP	16	case	_	_
14	as	as	ADP	IN	_	13	fixed	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	11	obl	_	_
17	holding	hold	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	16	acl	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	suspect	suspect	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  | a place |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP PP.location»: agent=Agent someone=Theme in place=Location |
| 2 | **not** **let** | infinitive |  | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **leave** | infinitive | them *= they* *not said here* |  |  |  |  | such the police | vn escape-51.1-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **hold** | gerund | the police *not said here* | a suspect |  |  |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent suspect=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To delay someone or keep them busy (I won't detain you long).

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:detain:m2:1
# text = To delay someone or keep them busy (I won't detain you long).
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	delay	delay	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
5	keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	conj	_	_
6	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	_
7	busy	busy	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	_
8	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	12	nsubj	_	_
10	wo	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	12	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	12	advmod	_	_
12	detain	detain	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	conj	_	_
13	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	12	obj	_	_
14	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	12	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **delay** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn delay-53.3-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent someone=Source |
| 2 | **keep** | infinitive |  | them *= they* |  |  |  | busy *property* | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |
| 3 | **not** **detain** | future | I | you |  |  |  | long *property* | vn confine-92 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Theme |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: school — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To keep a pupil after school as a punishment (detention).

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:detain:m3:1
# text = To keep a pupil after school as a punishment (detention).
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	keep	keep	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	pupil	pupil	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	after	after	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
7	as	as	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	punishment	punishment	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	_
10	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	detention	detention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	11	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **keep** | to-infinitive |  | a pupil |  |  | after school | as a punishment | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent pupil=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The police detained the man for questioning.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:detain:x1:1
# text = The police detained the man for questioning.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	detained	detain	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	questioning	question	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **detain** | past | the police | the man |  |  |  |  | vn confine-92 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent man=Theme |
| 2 | **question** *speech: other* | gerund | the man *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn interrogate-37.1.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Sorry to detain you; I just have one question.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:detain:x2:1
# text = Sorry to detain you; I just have one question.
1	Sorry	sorry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
2	to	to	PART	TO	_	3	mark	_	_
3	detain	detain	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
6	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	just	just	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	have	have	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	1	conj	_	_
9	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	10	nummod	_	_
10	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **detain** | to-infinitive |  | you |  |  |  |  | vn confine-92 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Theme |
| 2 | **have** | present | I | one question |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent question=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The storm detained us at the airport.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:detain:x3:1
# text = The storm detained us at the airport.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	detained	detain	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	airport	airport	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **detain** | past | the storm | us |  | the airport |  |  | vn confine-92 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent we=Theme |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He was detained after school for being rude.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:detain:x4:1
# text = He was detained after school for being rude.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	detained	detain	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	after	after	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	being	be	AUX	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	cop	_	_
8	rude	rude	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **detain** | past · passive |  | He |  |  | after school |  | vn confine-92 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | rude *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Two people were detained at the border.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:detain:x5:1
# text = Two people were detained at the border.
1	Two	two	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	nummod	_	_
2	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	4	aux:pass	_	_
4	detained	detain	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
5	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	border	border	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **detain** | past · passive |  | Two people |  | the border |  |  | vn confine-92 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The guard detained the thief until the police came.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:detain:x6:1
# text = The guard detained the thief until the police came.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	guard	guard	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	detained	detain	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	thief	thief	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	until	until	SCONJ	IN	_	9	mark	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	9	nsubj	_	_
9	came	come	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **detain** | past | the guard | the thief |  |  |  |  | vn confine-92 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thief=Theme |
| 2 | **come** | past | the police |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"I will sing them all to you," said the mother; "but do not detain me now.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:detain:x7:1
# text = "I will sing them all to you," said the mother; "but do not detain me now.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	nsubj	_	_
3	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	sing	sing	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	ccomp	_	_
5	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	all	all	DET	DT	PronType=Tot	5	nmod:unmarked	_	_
7	to	to	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
11	said	say	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	mother	mother	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	19	punct	_	_
15	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	19	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	but	but	CCONJ	CC	_	19	cc	_	_
17	do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	19	aux	_	_
18	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	19	advmod	_	_
19	detain	detain	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	conj	_	_
20	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	19	obj	_	_
21	now	now	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	19	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sing** *speech: express* *in a quote* | future | the mother *= mother* | them *= they* | you |  |  |  | vn manner\_speaking-37.3 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent they=Topic to you=Recipient |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | past | the mother |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **not** **detain** *in a quote* | infinitive · do-support | the mother *not said here* | the mother *= mother* |  |  | now |  | vn confine-92 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent i=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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