noun
- The unlawful detention or withholding of personal property belonging to another person.
Usage: legal; archaic
verb
- To unlawfully hold or retain the personal property of another; to detain wrongfully.
Usage: legal; archaic
Examples
- The court ruled that the defendant committed detinue by refusing to return the borrowed equipment.
- He detinues the property in violation of the owner's rights.
- The plaintiff filed a claim for detinue to recover her stolen jewelry.
- The law prohibits anyone from detaining or detinuing goods that do not belong to them.
- Detinue is a legal action used when someone wrongfully detinues another's chattels.