Meaning & use
a holding cell
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountablelaw
A small room in a police station or court where a person is kept temporarily before appearing in court or being moved.
Grammar: Countable: a holding cell, the holding cells. Often used with 'in' or 'into'.
Patterns
- in a holding cell
- put someone in a holding cell
- a holding cell at the court
The suspect spent the night in a holding cell at the police station.
Prisoners are kept in holding cells until their hearing begins.
The lawyer met his client in a holding cell before the trial.
Word forms
| plural | holding cells |
|---|
Common combinations
- in a holding cell
- He was held in a holding cell for six hours.
- put someone in a holding cell
- The officer put the drunk driver in a holding cell.
- a holding cell at the court
- Defendants wait in a holding cell at the court before their case is called.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lockup
- A lockup is a general term for a place where people are locked up, often a police station; a holding cell is a specific room within it.
- detention cell
- Similar, but 'detention cell' can also refer to a cell in a prison or immigration facility, while 'holding cell' emphasizes temporary holding.
Commonly confused: a holding cell or holding pen?
a holding cell vs holding pen
A holding pen is usually for animals, not people. A holding cell is for people.
Practice
After his arrest, the man was placed in ______ until his court appearance.
Choose one answer.
'A holding cell' is the correct term for a room where a person is temporarily kept. 'A holding pen' is for animals, 'a holding area' is a general waiting space, and 'a holding pattern' is when an aircraft circles while waiting to land.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a holding cell”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.