detener
to stop
verb deh-teh-NEHR Less Common
Origin: From Latin detinere (to hold back), from de- + tenere (to hold).
Also means
to arrest
Usage Note
Detener follows the irregular pattern of tener: detengo, detienes… It means 'to stop or halt' (something or someone) and, in legal contexts, 'to arrest or detain'. The reflexive detenerse means 'to stop oneself, to pause'. The noun detención means both 'stoppage' and 'arrest/detention'. Detenido ('detained, arrested') is the common past-participle adjective.
Examples
"La policía detuvo al sospechoso."
Natural Translation
The police arrested the suspect.
Related Words
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