Arrest: meaning, definitions and examples

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arrest

 

[ əˈrɛst ]

Verb / Noun
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Verb

law enforcement

To seize (someone) by legal authority and take them into custody.

Synonyms

apprehend, capture, detain

Examples of usage

  • The police arrested the suspect for theft.
  • He was arrested for driving under the influence.
Context #2 | Noun

legal

The action of seizing someone by legal authority and taking them into custody.

Synonyms

capture, custody, detention

Examples of usage

  • The arrest of the suspect was made at the scene of the crime.
  • She was placed under arrest for shoplifting.

Translations

Translations of the word "arrest" in other languages:

🇵🇹 prisão

🇮🇳 गिरफ्तारी

🇩🇪 Verhaftung

🇮🇩 penangkapan

🇺🇦 арешт

🇵🇱 aresztowanie

🇯🇵 逮捕 (たいほ)

🇫🇷 arrestation

🇪🇸 arresto

🇹🇷 tutuklama

🇰🇷 체포 (체포)

🇸🇦 اعتقال

🇨🇿 zatčení

🇸🇰 zatknutie

🇨🇳 逮捕 (dàibǔ)

🇸🇮 aretacija

🇮🇸 handtaka

🇰🇿 ұстау

🇬🇪 დაპატიმრება

🇦🇿 həbs

🇲🇽 arresto

Etymology

The word 'arrest' originated from Old French 'arest', meaning 'stoppage or stay', which in turn came from Latin 'arrestare', meaning 'to stop, hinder, seize'. The legal sense of 'arrest' developed in the 14th century in English, referring to the act of seizing someone by legal authority.

See also: arrested, arresting.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,360, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.