remand
C2Formal, Legal, Official
Definition
Meaning
To send a prisoner back into custody to await further trial or sentencing; the state of being held in custody pending trial.
In a broader administrative context, to send a case back to a lower court or authority for reconsideration or further action (as in 'remand for retrial').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a legal term. Can function as a noun ('on remand') or a transitive verb ('to remand someone'). The sense is inherently temporary and procedural, focused on the period before a final legal decision.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Used in both, but more frequently encountered in British media/news. The administrative 'remand' of a case to a lower court is equally common in US legal English.
Connotations
In UK contexts, 'remand' often directly connotes imprisonment pending trial. In US contexts, the phrase 'remanded in custody' or 'remanded without bail' is used, and the term 'pretrial detention' is a common synonym.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK legal reporting. The noun phrase 'on remand' is particularly British.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[court/judge] remand [defendant] [adverbial: in custody/on bail][court/judge] remand [case] [adverbial: for retrial/to a lower court]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on remand”
- “remand centre/prison”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in legal studies, criminology, and sociology papers discussing the justice system.
Everyday
Used in news reports about crime and court proceedings, but not in casual conversation.
Technical
Core term in legal procedure and criminal justice administration.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The magistrates remanded him in custody for three weeks.
- The case was remanded to the Crown Court for trial.
American English
- The judge remanded the defendant without bail.
- The appellate court remanded the case for a new hearing.
adverb
British English
- No common adverbial use.
American English
- No common adverbial use.
adjective
British English
- He is a remand prisoner awaiting his trial date.
- The remand population in local prisons has grown.
American English
- The remand hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday.
- She is being held in a remand facility.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The man was remanded in custody by the court.
- She spent six months on remand before the trial.
- Despite the defence's arguments, the judge remanded the suspect, citing a flight risk.
- The high number of inmates on remand is putting a strain on the prison system.
- The Court of Appeal quashed the conviction and remitted the matter, remanding the defendant for a retrial.
- Critics argue that the extensive use of remand disproportionately affects defendants from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: RE (again) + MAND (from Latin 'mandare', to order/entrust). The court orders the accused to be entrusted again to custody.
Conceptual Metaphor
LEGAL PROCESS IS A JOURNEY (the accused is 'sent back' to a waiting point on the journey).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'помещать' or 'помещение' (to place/room). The legal Russian equivalent is 'заключить под стражу' (verb) or 'содержание под стражей' (noun state). 'Риманд' is a false friend.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'remand' to mean a final prison sentence (it's temporary).
- Using it as a general synonym for 'send' outside legal contexts.
- Incorrect preposition: 'remand on custody' (should be 'in custody').
Practice
Quiz
What does it mean if someone is 'on remand'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, yes, for defendants/accused persons. However, a legal 'case' or 'matter' can also be remanded (sent back) to a lower court for further action.
Remand is the general action/state of detaining pre-trial. Bail is the conditional release from remand. A court can 'remand on bail' (release with conditions) or 'remand in custody' (detain).
Yes, commonly in the phrase 'on remand'. E.g., 'He has been on remand for two months.' It refers to the state of being remanded.
Neutral in a legal procedural sense, but it has strongly negative connotations in a social context, as it involves deprivation of liberty before a proven guilty verdict.