This is the 9957th most frequent Portuguese word.
detê
"Detê" is a form of the verb "deter," meaning "to deter" or "to stop."
Here, 'detê-lo' (to stop him) is used to convey the action of stopping someone from continuing.
Eu preciso detê-lo antes que ele cause mais problemas.
I need to stop him before he causes more trouble.
In this sentence, 'detê-los' (to stop them) implies an attempt to halt or capture a group of individuals.
O policial tentou detê-los na estrada.
The police officer tried to stop them on the road.
Here, 'detê-las' (to stop them) represents using reasoning to prevent someone from continuing their argument or action.