Lewis & Short

dē-tĭnĕo, tĭnŭi, tentum, 2, v. a. [teneo], to hold off, keep back, detain.

  1. 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.
  2. II. Trop.
    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. C. To hold in the mind, know: veritatem Dei in injustitia, Vulg. Rom. 1, 18.