arrest
to seize (a person) by legal authority or warrant; take into custody: The police arrested the burglar.
to catch and hold; attract and fix; engage: The loud noise arrested our attention.
to check the course of; stop; slow down: to arrest progress.
Medicine/Medical. to control or stop the active progress of (a disease): The new drug did not arrest the cancer.
the taking of a person into legal custody, as by officers of the law.
any seizure or taking by force.
an act of stopping or the state of being stopped: the arrest of tooth decay.
Machinery. any device for stopping machinery; stop.
Idioms about arrest
under arrest, in custody of the police or other legal authorities: They placed the suspect under arrest at the scene of the crime.
Origin of arrest
1synonym study For arrest
Other words for arrest
Other words from arrest
- 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
Words Nearby arrest
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use arrest in a sentence
He called for the arrest of Sheskey and for the others involved to lose their jobs.
Prosecutors charge teen in fatal shooting of two protestors and wounding of a third in Kenosha | kdunn6 | August 28, 2020 | FortuneLet me explain in detail what people here are going through, starting with arrest.
Protestors attempted to block the arrest, but they, along with bystanders, were arrested and taken into custody.
Poland’s LGBTQ activists confront growing crackdown | Kaela Roeder | August 14, 2020 | Washington BladeBetween 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.
Hong Kongers drove a stock up 1,100% to protest a news mogul’s arrest | Mary Hui | August 11, 2020 | QuartzWith 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.
Later reports say that authorities claimed to be merely escorting him back to his house arrest.
The Moscow protest was not sanctioned, which meant every participant risked arrest.
He was told he could go back home to his house arrest to celebrate the New Year with his wife and their two children.
When two NYPD lieutenants intervened, police say Linsker put the trash can down but resisted arrest.
The High-Priced Union Rep Charged With Attacking a Cop | Jacob Siegel | December 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTSullivan has by then moved in to help and he seeks to complete the arrest of the first man.
The crowd dispersed, disappointed; cheated out of their anticipated scene of an arrest for horse-stealing.
Ramona | Helen Hunt JacksonHe knew that Longcluse had still two executions against him, on which, at any moment, he might arrest him.
Checkmate | Joseph Sheridan Le FanuHe told Horner you'd bin shot resistin' arrest, an' wanted t' see her afore yuh cashed in.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. SinclairThat accomplished, I shall arrest the Dowager and her son and every jackanapes within that castle.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael SabatiniFresh Commissioners came from the Assembly, and it was only their fortunate recall to Paris that saved the general from arrest.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-Pattison
British Dictionary definitions for arrest
/ (əˈrɛst) /
to deprive (a person) of liberty by taking him into custody, esp under lawful authority
to seize (a ship) under lawful authority
to slow or stop the development or progress of (a disease, growth, etc)
to catch and hold (one's attention, sight, etc)
arrest judgment law to stay proceedings after a verdict, on the grounds of error or possible error
can't get arrested informal (of a performer) is unrecognized and unsuccessful: he can't get arrested here but is a megastar in the States
the act of taking a person into custody, esp under lawful authority
the act of seizing and holding a ship under lawful authority
the state of being held, esp under lawful authority: under arrest
Also called: arrestation (ˌærɛsˈteɪʃən) the slowing or stopping of the development or progress of something
the stopping or sudden cessation of motion of something: a cardiac arrest
Origin of arrest
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with arrest
see under arrest.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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