custody
n. uncountablen. the legal right to take care of someone, like a child, or the state of being kept in prison. You use this when talking about who a child lives with after a divorce or when the police hold a suspect.
n. the legal right or duty to care for someone or something, especially a child after a divorce; alternatively, the state of being detained by the police or authorities.
The parents share custody of their two children.
After the investigation, the suspect remained in police custody while the lawyers prepared the necessary paperwork for the hearing.
The court granted the mother sole legal custody after determining that the father's frequent international travel would disrupt the child's primary education and social stability.
Borrowed from Latin custōdia (“a keeping, watch, guard, prison”), from custōs (“a keeper, watchman, guard”). Doublet of custode.
Often used in the phrases 'in custody' or 'take into custody' when referring to legal detention.
the police took him to custodythe police took him into custodyWhen referring to the act of arresting someone, the correct preposition is 'into', not 'to'.