The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Detain \De*tain"\, n.
   Detention. [Obs.] --Spenser.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Detain \De*tain"\ (d[-e]*t[=a]n"), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
   Detained; p. pr. & vb. n. Detaining.] [F. d['e]tenir, L.
   detinere, detentum; de + tenere to hold. See Tenable.]
   1. To keep back or from; to withhold.
      [1913 Webster]

            Detain not the wages of the hireling. --Jer. Taylor.
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   2. To restrain from proceeding; to stay or stop; to delay;
      as, we were detained by an accident.
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            Let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a
            kid for thee.                         --Judges xiii.
                                                  15.
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   3. To hold or keep in custody.

   Syn: To withhold; retain; stop; stay; arrest; check; retard;
        delay; hinder.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

detain
    v 1: deprive of freedom; take into confinement [syn: confine,
         detain] [ant: free, liberate, loose, release,
         unloose, unloosen]
    2: stop or halt; "Please stay the bloodshed!" [syn: stay,
       detain, delay]
    3: cause to be slowed down or delayed; "Traffic was delayed by
       the bad weather"; "she delayed the work that she didn't want
       to perform" [syn: delay, detain, hold up] [ant:
       hurry, rush]