I.to hold off, keep back, detain.
I. Lit. (class.): “nos de nostro negotio,” Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 190: “aliquem ab aliquo incepto studioque,” Sall. C. 4, 2: “aliquem apud villam,” Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 13: so, “aliquem,” id. Men. 4, 2, 22; Ter. Eun. 2, 2, 49; Lentul. ap. Cic. Fam. 12, 5, 5 (with demorari), Caes. B. C. 2, 17, 3 Oud. N. cr.; Liv. 4, 55 (opp. concire); Verg. A. 2, 788; Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 5: “me grata compede Myrtale,” id. Od. 1, 33, 14; Ov. M. 13, 301 et saep.: “novissimos proelio,” Caes. B. C. 3, 75, 4; cf.: “Hannibalem quam acerrimo bello,” Liv. 27, 12: “se miserandis alimentis detinuerat,” had supported himself, Tac. A. 6, 23: “naves tempestatibus detinebantur,” Caes. B. G. 3, 12 fin.; cf.: “rates voce canora,” Ov. A. A. 3, 311: “iter iratae anguis (cantus),” Tib. 1, 8, 20: “illum ne discederet,” Vulg. Luc. 4, 42.—
II. Trop.
A. In gen. (poet.), to delay, i. e. lengthen: “euntem multa loquendo Detinuit sermone diem,” Ov. M. 1, 683; cf. “tempus,” id. Pont. 4, 10, 67.—
B. Esp., to occupy, engage (also class.): “in alienis negotiis detineri,” Cic. Inv. 2, 45, 132; cf. Quint. 10, 5, 17: “in contumelia,” Tac. A. 13, 36 fin.: “in admiratione sui,” Suet. Ner. 52: “manus in lyricis modis,” Ov. F. 5, 386: “mentes hominum circa alia,” Plin. H. N. 14 prooem. § 4:“ animum studiis,” Ov. Tr. 5, 7, 39: “oculos (mea poëmata),” id. ib. 2, 520; cf. Quint. 9, 2, 63: “animos in timore,” Hirt. B. Afr. 72, 3.—
C. To hold in the mind, know: “veritatem Dei in injustitia,” Vulg. Rom. 1, 18.