détenir

[alan gould]

it's easy for me to apply it in the sense of the police not releasing someone (or a school detaining a student) since the english word is "detain."  but i also see it used to mean "to hold or possess" and the dictionary gives the examples of: power, a secret, a record, an object.  it's easier for me to simply use "tenir."  i see no reason to use "de'tainir."  Tx

[Chantal Savignat]

it's not the same meaning.

"Détenir de l'argent" is different from "tenir de l'argent"

tenir de l'argent = to have some money in your hand

détenir de l'argent = to have money (somewhere)

[alan gould]

that's a great and important distinction.  so maybe that extends to other situations where i possess something but i'm not holding it in my hand at that moment?  

[Chantal Savignat]

yes it's true for all the objects.

[alan gould]

power and a secret are not tangible (something u can feel w ur hand).  they were given as examples of "de'tenir."  would it b incorrect to use "tenir" w them?  

[George Hunt]

https://www.google.ie/search?q=%22tenir+le+pouvoir%22&oq=%22ten...

https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/maintenir-tenir-d%C3%A9teni...

http://context.reverso.net/traduction/francais-anglais/tenir+le+pou...

Clearly you can say "tenir le pouvoir" but there are different contexts and situations

[Chantal Savignat]

détenir = to have. to possess. it doesn't depend where is the object or the idea. just the idea of possession.

détenir le pouvoir = someone or an organisation who have the power. Poutine détient le pouvoir en russie.

tenir : a lot of meaning. with a lot of words to go with.

tenir le pouvoir = not like that. here "tenir" must be used with another word. An exemple given by George : "de tenir le pouvoir exécutif responsable" :  this sentence it's really "de tenir responsable ... le pouvoir".

And if someone would say "il tient le pouvoir" we would understand that this person is very hard, a kind of dictator. 

détenir un secret = you know a secret.

tenir un secret : if used I would understand that you are able to keep a secret. But "garder" is more used. "garder un secret". Or with another syntax : "tenir secret" : but in this case "secret" go with "tenir" like "tenir responsable" in the sentence above. il faut tenir secret le contenu du testament.