détenir
/de.tə.niʁ/verb★Intermediate
formal
To hold or possess something, often with authority or responsibility.
Le gouvernement détient les clés de la réforme.
The government holds the keys to reform.
💡
Often used in legal or formal contexts to indicate possession or control.
⚖️Law
formal
To keep someone in custody or detention.
La police détient le suspect depuis hier.
The police have been holding the suspect since yesterday.
💡
Used in legal contexts to describe detention.
Collocations
détenir une positionto hold a positiondétenir des informationsto hold informationdétenir quelqu'un en détentionto hold someone in detention
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
détenir le pouvoirphrase
to hold power
détenir des preuvesphrase
to hold evidence
💡Pro Tip
Formal Usage
Use 'détenir' in formal or legal contexts to indicate possession or control.
⚡Gold Rule
Legal Context
In legal contexts, 'détenir' often means to hold someone in custody.
📖Word Origin
From Old French 'detendre', from Latin 'detinere' (to hold back).
📝Usage Notes
Often used in formal or legal contexts to indicate possession or control. Can also refer to holding someone in custody.
Word Breakdown
dé-
intensive prefix
prefix-tenir
to hold
rootDictionnaire Français-Anglais