house arrest

American  

noun

1. confinement of an arrested person to their residence or to a public place, such as a hospital, instead of in a jail.

   He was under house arrest until the day of his trial.

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house arrest British  

noun

1. confinement to one's own home

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house arrest Cultural  

1. Forcible detention in one's house rather than in a prison. House arrest is used by some nations as a way to silence political dissent without the elaborate trials and criminal proceedings that would bring bad publicity.

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Etymology

Origin of house arrest

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

The Supreme Court has until now denied requests that he be allowed to serve his sentence under house arrest.

From Barron's

Prominent reformist politicians were put under house arrest where they remain to this day.

From BBC

Since December, the head of the department responsible for the AI has been under house arrest for his alleged links to an illegal manipulation of government tenders.

From Barron's

He had recently been freed from prison but then quickly re-detained and kept under house arrest.

From Barron's

Guanipa was initially released from prison earlier this month, but was then rearrested and placed under house arrest for allegedly breaching the terms of his release.

From BBC