Noun
1. a state of being confined (usually for a short time);
"his detention was politically motivated""the prisoner is on hold""he is in the custody of police"2. holding by the police;
"the suspect is in custody"3. (with `in') guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child;
"my fate is in your hands""too much power in the president's hands""your guests are now in my custody""the mother was awarded custody of the children"