żamm

From Arabic زَمَّ‎ (zamma, “to bind, tie up”). The sense must be a generalisation from the act of confining a person or animal in some place. Arabic does not have a generally applicable word for “to keep”, using different expressions depending on the context.

• IPA^(key): /zamm/

żamm (imperfect jżomm, past participle miżmum)

1. to keep, hold
2. to keep (a promise)
3. (law enforcement) to detain

• nżamm