arrestiveadj.
/əˈrɛstɪv/ 1. Having as its attribute or tendency to arrest.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > attention > attracting attention > [adjective]
catching?a1430
vive1528
fascinating1618
affecting1665
amusing1695
uptaking1737
striking1752
interesting1768
arresting1792
frappant1797
riveting1800
engrossing1820
enchaining1823
arrestive1834
alive1844
vivid1853
seizing1865
absorptive1881
absorbative1893
gripping1896
intriguing1909
attention-getting1917
grippy1921
head-turning1938
gimmicky1957
compulsive1961
spellbinding1978
stunty1981
1834 T. Cowan Art of Poetic Painting 3 Strength in expression..and arrestive power in all forms of discourse and composition, consist..in the employment of descriptive and illustrative Imagery.
1850 J. McCosh Method Divine Govt. (1862) 407 Partaking of the nature of the arrestive and instigative [are]..emotions of astonishment, surprise and wonder.
1878 C. Stanford Symbols Christ (new ed.) iii. 64 A startling and arrestive sight.
2. Grammar. Applied to conjunctions such as but.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > study of grammar > a part of speech > conjunction > [adjective] > other specific types of conjunction
conversive1751
suppositive1751
subcontinuative1786
positive1797
arrestive1863
1863 A. Bain Eng. Gram. 65 The second class of Co-ordinating Conjunctions are the Adversative..This class is subdivided into three species..The Arrestive, represented by ‘but,’ ‘but then,’ ‘still,’ ‘yet,’ ‘only,’ ‘nevertheless,’ ‘however.’ Phrases: ‘for all that,’ ‘at the same time.’
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1885; most recently modified version published online September 2019).
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adj.1834