arrest

The word “arrest” means to take someone into custody under legal authority, typically on suspicion of a crime. In plain terms, to take someone into police custody, or more generally, to stop something in its tracks.

“Arrest” is pronounced uh-REHST (/əˈɹɛst/ in IPA).

Here is “arrest” used in a sentence: “Police arrested the suspect outside his apartment.”

Words with a similar meaning to “arrest” include halt, discontinue, seize, dazzle, engage and entice.

Depending on how it is used, “arrest” can be a verb and a noun.

The word “arrest” comes from Latin. From Old French arester ("to stay, stop"), from Latin ad- ("to") plus restare ("to remain, stay behind").

“Arrest” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Arrest” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to take someone into custody under legal authority, typically on suspicion of a crime.

To arrest is to take someone into custody under legal authority, usually on suspicion of a crime, starting a formal legal process. To detain is simply to hold or delay someone, which can be briefer and less formal. Police may detain a person for questioning without arresting them.

Being arrested means the police have taken you into custody, usually on suspicion of an offence. Being charged is the later step where you are formally accused of a specific crime and enter the court process. You can be arrested and then released without ever being charged.

No. An arrest is based on suspicion, not proof, and guilt is decided only by a court. Many arrested people are released without charge or later found not guilty. In most legal systems a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

No. Besides the legal sense, arrest means to stop or halt something. Cardiac arrest is the stopping of the heart, and doctors speak of arresting the spread of a disease. The common thread is bringing something to a sudden stop, whether a person or a process.