/'kʌstədɪ; `kʌstədɪ/
n [U]
1 (right or duty of) taking care of sb/sth 监管、监护（的权利或责任）
*leave one's valuables in safe custody, eg in a bank 将贵重物品妥善保管（如于银行中）
* When his parents died, he was placed in the custody of his aunt. 他的父母去世以後, 他就交由姑妈照管.
* The court gave the mother custody of the child, eg after a divorce. 法庭把孩子判给母亲照管（如在离婚以後）.
* parents involved in a battle over custody, ie disputing who should have the right to look after the children 为孩子的监护权而争得不可开交的父母.
2 imprisonment while awaiting trial 拘留; 羁押
*The magistrate remanded him in custody for two weeks. 法官命令把他拘留两星期.
* be held in custody 被拘留
* take sb into custody, ie arrest him 将某人拘捕.

n[U]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin;Origin: custodia 'guarding', from custos 'person who guards']
the right to take care of a child, given to one of their parents when they have divorced
custody of
　He got custody of his son after the divorce.
　It is usually the mother who is awarded custody (=legally allowed to have custody) .
　a dispute over who should have custody of the children
　The couple will retain joint custody (=they will both have custody) of their daughters.
　Allen is fighting a bitter custody battle over his three children.
when someone is kept in prison until they go to court, because the police think they have committed a crime
　The committee is looking at alternatives to custody.
in custody
　Police are investigating the death of a man in custody.
hold/keep sb in custody
　A man is being held in police custody in connection with the murder.
remand sb in custody
BrE (=send someone to prison to wait until they go to court)
　A man has been remanded in custody charged with the murder of a schoolgirl.
　She was taken into custody as a suspect.
formal when someone is responsible for keeping and looking after something
　Managers are responsible for the safe custody and retention of records.
　The collection of art books is now in the custody of the university.