arrest

[ uh-rest ]

verb (used with object)

1. to seize (a person) by legal authority or warrant; take into custody:

   The police arrested the burglar.

   Synonyms: apprehend

2. to catch and hold; attract and fix; engage:

   The loud noise arrested our attention.

   Synonyms: occupy, rivet, secure

3. to check the course of; stop; slow down:

   to arrest progress.

   Synonyms: stay

4. Medicine/Medical. to control or stop the active progress of (a disease):

   The new drug did not arrest the cancer.

noun

1. the taking of a person into legal custody, as by officers of the law.

   Synonyms: imprisonment, apprehension, detention

2. any seizure or taking by force.
3. an act of stopping or the state of being stopped:

   the arrest of tooth decay.

   Synonyms: check, stay, halt, stoppage

4. Machinery. any device for stopping machinery; stop.

arrest

/ əˈrɛst /

verb

1. to deprive (a person) of liberty by taking him into custody, esp under lawful authority
2. to seize (a ship) under lawful authority
3. to slow or stop the development or progress of (a disease, growth, etc)
4. to catch and hold (one's attention, sight, etc)
5. arrest judgment
   arrest judgment law to stay proceedings after a verdict, on the grounds of error or possible error
6. can't get arrested informal.
   can't get arrested (of a performer) is unrecognized and unsuccessful

   he can't get arrested here but is a megastar in the States

noun

1. the act of taking a person into custody, esp under lawful authority
2. the act of seizing and holding a ship under lawful authority
3. the state of being held, esp under lawful authority

   under arrest

4. Also calledarrestationˌærɛsˈteɪʃən the slowing or stopping of the development or progress of something
5. the stopping or sudden cessation of motion of something

   a cardiac arrest

Other Words From

• ar·resta·ble adjective
• ar·restment noun
• postar·rest adjective
• prear·rest verb (used with object)
• prear·restment noun
• rear·rest verb (used with object) noun
• unar·resta·ble adjective
• unar·rested adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of arrest¹

1275–1325; (v.) Middle English aresten < Anglo-French, Middle French arester, < Vulgar Latin *arrestāre to stop ( ar-, rest ² ); (noun) Middle English arest ( e ) < Anglo-French, Old French, noun derivative of v.

Word History and Origins

Origin of arrest¹

C14: from Old French arester, from Vulgar Latin arrestāre (unattested), from Latin ad at, to + restāre to stand firm, stop

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. under arrest, in custody of the police or other legal authorities:

   They placed the suspect under arrest at the scene of the crime.

More idioms and phrases containing arrest

see under arrest .

Synonym Study

See stop.

Example Sentences

He called for the arrest of Sheskey and for the others involved to lose their jobs.

From Fortune

Let me explain in detail what people here are going through, starting with arrest.

From Ozy

Protestors attempted to block the arrest, but they, along with bystanders, were arrested and taken into custody.

From Washington Blade

Between yesterday morning, when news broke of the arrest, and at market close today, the shares of Next Digital—which owns Apple Daily and other publications—soared more than 1,100%, pushing the stock to a seven-year high.

From Quartz

With mainstream politicians in Kashmir remaining under arrest or barred from political activity, extremist groups have little competition in recruiting local youth — even if they’re untrained and unlikely to survive for long.

From Ozy

Later reports say that authorities claimed to be merely escorting him back to his house arrest.

From The Daily Beast

The Moscow protest was not sanctioned, which meant every participant risked arrest.

From The Daily Beast

He was told he could go back home to his house arrest to celebrate the New Year with his wife and their two children.

From The Daily Beast

When two NYPD lieutenants intervened, police say Linsker put the trash can down but resisted arrest.

From The Daily Beast

Sullivan has by then moved in to help and he seeks to complete the arrest of the first man.

From The Daily Beast

The crowd dispersed, disappointed; cheated out of their anticipated scene of an arrest for horse-stealing.

From Project Gutenberg

He knew that Longcluse had still two executions against him, on which, at any moment, he might arrest him.

From Project Gutenberg

He told Horner you'd bin shot resistin' arrest, an' wanted t' see her afore yuh cashed in.

From Project Gutenberg

That accomplished, I shall arrest the Dowager and her son and every jackanapes within that castle.

From Project Gutenberg

Fresh Commissioners came from the Assembly, and it was only their fortunate recall to Paris that saved the general from arrest.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• apprehend
• capture
• catch
• detain
• imprison
• incarcerate
• jail
• round up
• seize

More About Arrest

What does arrest mean?

To arrest someone is to seize them or take them into custody with authority.

Related to that, an arrest is the act of police or other law enforcement officials detaining someone suspected of committing a crime when there is probable cause.

Arrest can also more generally mean to attract and engage, such as with attention or sight. For example, a loud clap of thunder might arrest your attention for a moment, if you weren’t expecting it.

Arrest also means to slow or stop, such as with progress or growth. You might, for example, arrest the growth of a plant by keeping it in the dark while continuing to water it. Such an arrest could lead the plant to die.

Example: You are under arrest for conspiracy to commit grand theft auto.

Where does arrest come from?

The first records of the term arrest come from around the 1200s. It comes from the Vulgar Latin arrestāre, meaning “to stop.” Often arresting someone or something is done in an effort to stop them from doing something or from running away.

In medicine, to arrest is to control or stop the progress, such as of a disease. The disease isn’t cured but it won’t get any worse if doctors can arrest it. Sometimes arrest is also used in reference to parts of the body stopping, such as cardiac arrest, which means your heart stops beating.

You might also hear about arrested development, which is development that has been stopped before it has been completed. A person with a physical arrested development is someone whose body did not fully grow, or develop, completely.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to arrest?

• arrestable (adjective)
• postarrest (adjective)
• prearrest (verb)
• rearrest (verb)
• unarrestable (adjective)

What are some synonyms for arrest?

• apprehend
• capture
• delay
• imprisonment
• suspension

What are some words that share a root or word element with arrest? 

• rest
• arrestment
• arresting

What are some words that often get used in discussing arrest?

• crime
• suspect
• warrant

How is arrest used in real life?

Arrest is a common word usually used in relation to criminal justice but also used in the sciences.

*jake paul gets arrested*

jake – "the cops and I have mutually decided to arrest me, thank you to all involved!!"

— RyansAverageLife (@RyanAbe) July 23, 2017

BREAKING / NBC News: DOJ announces the arrest of Russian National Mariia Butina, age 29, for "infiltrating organizations having influence in American politics, for the purpose of advancing the interests of the Russian Federation."

She was arrested yesterday.

— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) July 16, 2018

I'll try my best, how much do I invest? like cardiac arrest, high voltage when we kiss.

— michael clifford on tour (@Michael5SOS) January 1, 2016

 

Try using arrest!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym for arrest?

A. free
B. capture
C. secure
D. seize