Detainings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of holding someone in custody against their will
2. The state of being kept in a place, usually for legal reasons or investigation
3. A situation where an individual is prevented from leaving for questioning or other legal procedures

Etymology: "Detainings" is the plural of "detaining," the gerund-like noun formed from the verb "detain." Its root sense is one of holding back or keeping someone in place, and the plural simply counts separate instances of that act, such as the separate occasions on which people were held for questioning.

Synonyms: arrests, capturings, holdings, seizures, apprehensions

Antonyms: releases, freedoms, liberations, discharges, emancipations