Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense arrests, present participle arresting, past tense, past participle arrested
1. verb
If the police arrest you, they take charge of you and take you to a police station, because they believe you may have committed a crime.
Police arrested five young men in connection with one of the attacks. [VERB noun]
The police say seven people were arrested for minor offences. [beVERB-ed + for]
[Also V n for n]
Synonyms: capture, catch, lift [slang], nick [slang, mainly British] More Synonyms of arrest
Arrest is also a noun.
The Police Department wasted no time in making an arrest.
Murder squad detectives approached the man and placed him under arrest.
2. verb
If something or someone arrests a process, they stop it continuing.
[formal]
A quarantine was put in place to arrest the spread of the disease. [VERB noun]
The law could arrest the development of good research if applied prematurely. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: stop, end, hold, limit More Synonyms of arrest
3. verb
If something interesting or surprising arrests your attention, you suddenly notice it and then continue to look at it or consider it carefully.
[formal]
The work of an architect of genius always arrests the attention no matter how littleremains. [VERB noun]
As he reached the hall after her, he saw what had arrested her. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: fascinate, hold, involve, catch More Synonyms of arrest
arrestinggraded adjective
The most arresting feature is the painted wall decoration.
Synonyms: striking, surprising, engaging, dramatic More Synonyms of arrest
4. See also house arrest
More Synonyms of arrest
arrest in British English
(əˈrɛst)
verb(transitive)
1.
to deprive (a person) of liberty by taking him or her 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
6. can't get arrested
noun
7.
the act of taking a person into custody, esp under lawful authority
8.
the act of seizing and holding a ship under lawful authority
9.
the state of being held, esp under lawful authority
under arrest
10. Also called: arrestation (ˌærɛsˈteɪʃən)
the slowing or stopping of the development or progress of something
11.
the stopping or sudden cessation of motion of something
a cardiac arrest
Word origin
C14: from Old French arester, from Vulgar Latin arrestāre (unattested), from Latin ad at, to + restāre to stand firm, stop
arrest in American English
(əˈrɛst)
verb transitive
1.
to stop or check the motion, course, or spread of
2.
to seize or take into custody by authority of the law
3.
to catch and keep (one's attention, sight, etc.)
noun
4.
an arresting or being arrested; esp., a taking or being taken into custody by authorityof the law
5.
a thing for checking motion
Idioms:
under arrest
Derived forms
arrestee (arˈrestee)
noun
arrester (arˈrester)
noun or arˈrestor
Word origin
ME aresten < OFr arester < VL *arrestare < L ad-, to + restare, to stop, rest3
Examples of 'arrest' in a sentence
arrest
Police arrested two men on suspicion of murder.
The Sun (2016)
Two flats were raided in the city yesterday but no one was arrested.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
One person was arrested for setting off a flare.
The Sun (2017)
The choking triggered a cardiac arrest and her brain had been starved of oxygen.
The Sun (2016)
The police issued arrest warrants for five others.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
No one has been arrested over the incident.
The Sun (2016)
She suffered a cardiac arrest caused by a blocked heart artery.
The Sun (2016)
I alerted the police and they arrested him.
The Sun (2016)
Yesterday police arrested three men in connection with the attack.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
There are concerns that his arrest may cause more violence.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Three cops were hurt and one protester arrested.
The Sun (2009)
The media will often identify and name an arrested person without assistance from the police.
The Sun (2013)
Just five per cent of people who suffer a sudden cardiac arrest outside of hospital live.
The Sun (2012)
The star went into cardiac arrest and cops are quizzing his doctors and aides.
The Sun (2009)
Police said those arrested came from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
There have been no arrests and police have yet to discover a clear motive.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The new arrests may once again bring a de facto moratorium on the condemned men.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Six of the raiders were arrested and one killed.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
That person was arrested and detained for some months.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But few who suffer sudden cardiac arrest will have such a lucky confluence of circumstances.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The sickness was blamed on caffeine toxicity and she finally had a cardiac arrest.
The Sun (2012)
Police said no arrests have been made so far.
The Sun (2012)
Fans who turn up drunk may be arrested.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Officers seized booze and arrested one person.
The Sun (2008)
The cardiac arrest team was summoned and resuscitation began in the corridor.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Police initially arrested five men and a woman in connection with the killing.
The Sun (2009)
We are looking at other people and further arrests may be made in the coming days and weeks.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There was a fella about six months ago who got arrested for posting something on Twitter.
The Sun (2010)
Yesterday, the police arrested a nurse.
The Sun (2011)
Post mortem examinations of those under 35 who have died of sudden cardiac arrest divide the fatalities into two groups.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
arrest
British English: arrest /əˈrɛst/ NOUN
An arrest is the act of taking a person into custody, especially under lawful authority.
There is a reward for information leading to his arrest.
American English: arrest
Arabic: اِعْتِقال
Brazilian Portuguese: captura
Chinese: 逮捕
Croatian: uhićenje
Czech: zatčení
Danish: arrestation
Dutch: arrestatie
European Spanish: arresto detención
Finnish: pidätys
French: arrestation
German: Verhaftung
Greek: σύλληψη
Italian: arresto
Japanese: 逮捕
Korean: 체포
Norwegian: arrestasjon
Polish: aresztowanie
European Portuguese: prisão
Romanian: arestare
Russian: задержание
Latin American Spanish: arresto
Swedish: gripande
Thai: การจับกุม
Turkish: tutuklama
Ukrainian: арешт
Vietnamese: sự bắt giữ
British English: arrest /əˈrɛst/ VERB
If the police arrest you, they take charge of you and take you to a police station, because they believe you may have committed a crime.
Police arrested five young men in connection with one of the attacks.
American English: arrest
Arabic: يَقْبِضُ عَلَى
Brazilian Portuguese: prender
Chinese: 逮捕
Croatian: uhititi
Czech: zatknout
Danish: arrestere
Dutch: arresteren
European Spanish: arrestar
Finnish: pidättää tehdä pidätys
French: arrêter police
German: verhaften
Greek: συλλαμβάνω
Italian: arrestare
Japanese: 逮捕する
Korean: 체포하다
Norwegian: arrestere
Polish: zaaresztować
European Portuguese: prender
Romanian: a aresta
Russian: задерживать
Latin American Spanish: arrestar
Swedish: gripa
Thai: จับกุม
Turkish: tutuklamak
Ukrainian: арештовувати
Vietnamese: bắt giữ
All related terms of 'arrest'
false arrest
any unlawful detention or restraint of a person by one claiming legal power or authority
house arrest
If someone is under house arrest , they are officially ordered not to leave their home, because they are suspected of being involved in an illegal activity .
under arrest
in legal custody , as of the police
arrest judgment
to stay proceedings after a verdict , on the grounds of error or possible error
arrest warrant
a legal document giving permission to arrest someone
cardiac arrest
A cardiac arrest is a heart attack .
wrongful arrest
the act of arresting someone without proper reason
citizen's arrest
an arrest carried out by an ordinary member of the public rather than an officer of the law
respiratory arrest
cessation of breathing
arrest an activist
An activist is a person who works to bring about political or social changes by campaigning in public or working for an organization.
arrest a suspect
A suspect is a person who the police or authorities think may be guilty of a crime .
arrest of judgment
a stay of proceedings after a verdict , on the grounds of error or possible error
Chinese translation of 'arrest'
arrest
(əˈrɛst)
vt
(= detain) 逮捕 (dàibǔ)
(frm, = stop)[process, development]抑制 (yìzhì)
n(c/u)
(= detention) 拘捕 (jūbǔ)
to make an arrest逮捕 (dàibǔ)
to place sb under arrest将(將)某人逮捕 (jiāng mǒurén dàibǔ)
to be under arrest被逮捕 (bèi dàibǔ)
to arrest sb's attention (frm) 吸引某人的注意力 (xīyǐn mǒurén de zhùyìlì)
1 (verb)
Definition
to take (a person) into custody
Seven people were arrested for minor offences.
Synonyms
capture
The police gave chase and captured him as he was trying to escape.
catch
Police say they are confident of catching the killer.
lift (slang)
a cartoonish device lifted from a Laurel and Hardy sequence
nick (slang, mainly British)
The police nicked me for carrying an offensive weapon.
seize
seize the means of production
run in (slang)
nail (informal)
The police have been trying to nail him for years.
bust (informal)
They were busted for possession of cannabis.
collar (informal)
As Kerr fled towards the exit, Boycott collared him.
take
They took the enemy base.
detain
He was arrested and detained for questioning.
pinch (informal)
He was pinched for doing 31 mph.
nab (informal)
He stayed on the run for weeks before the authorities nabbed him.
apprehend
Police have not apprehended the perpetrator.
take prisoner
take into custody
lay hold of
feel your collar (slang)
cop (slang)
Opposites
free
,
release
,
let go
,
set free
2 (verb)
Definition
to slow or stop the development of
The new rules could arrest the development of good research.
Synonyms
stop
I think she really would have liked to stop everything right there.
end
hold
He was held in an arm lock.
limit
He limited payments on the country's foreign debt.
check
Today's meeting must focus on checking the spread of violence.
block
All attempts to complain to his superiors were blocked.
slow
Damage to the turbine slowed the work down.
delay
The passengers were delayed by bad weather.
halt
Striking workers halted production at the auto plant yesterday.