detainer

noun

de·​tain·​er di-ˈtā-nər How to pronounce detainer (audio)
1
: the act of keeping something in one's possession
specifically : the withholding from the rightful owner of something that has lawfully come into the possession of the holder
2
: detention in custody
3
: a writ authorizing the keeper of a prison to continue to hold a person in custody

Examples of detainer in a Sentence

keep him in detainer for at least 72 hours she filed an action for unlawful detainer of land after nonpayment of rent
Recent Examples on the Web Santana was booked into the Snohomish County Jail, where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Seattle Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) division placed an immigration detainer on the Mexican citizen. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 6 Mar. 2024 Immigration officials in Seattle have placed Santana under an immigration detainer, an ICE spokesperson said. Joe Sutton, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 Commissioners are attorneys selected by the court’s judges and given powers to hear and make decisions in certain family and juvenile court cases, as well as criminal, traffic, small claims and unlawful detainer cases. Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2024 The day after his arrest, ICE officials issued an immigration detainer on Granados-Trejo with the Montgomery County Detention Center. Dan Morse, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 New York City released Ibarra before his detainer could be issued. The Editors, National Review, 27 Feb. 2024 On July 11, the building’s landlord, New York Building LLC, filed an unlawful detainer complaint against Button Up Bar and Easthope, arguing the club is occupying the space unlawfully. Kolbie Peterson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 21 Aug. 2023 Anyone who receives an eviction notice from their landlord — referred to in the courts as an unlawful detainer — should file a response to the courts within five days or risk losing their case by default. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2024 He was arrested again in 2018 by the Montgomery County Police Department and charged with crimes related to making a false statement to a peace officer and obstruction, and another detainer request was made by ICE. Louis Casiano, Fox News, 4 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'detainer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Anglo-French detenour, alteration of detenir

First Known Use

1619, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of detainer was in 1619

Dictionary Entries Near detainer

Cite this Entry

“Detainer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detainer. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Legal Definition

detainer

noun
de·​tain·​er di-ˈtā-nər How to pronounce detainer (audio)
1
: the act of keeping something in one's possession
specifically : unlawful detainer
2
: detention in custody
3
: a notification sent by a prosecutor, judge, or other official advising a prison official that a prisoner is wanted to answer criminal charges and requesting continued detention of the prisoner or notification of the prisoner's impending release compare extradition
Etymology

Anglo-French detenoure, from detenir to restrain, detain, from Old French, from Latin detinere

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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