WordWeb Online

1. A state of being confined (usually for a short time)
   "his detention was politically motivated";
   - detainment, hold, custody
    
2. A punishment in which a student must stay at school after others have gone home
   "the detention of tardy pupils"

Derived forms: detentions

Type of: confinement, penalisation [Brit], penalization, penalty, punishment, sanction

Encyclopedia: Detention, Tasmania