What does arrest mean?
Arrest is a verb with two principal meanings. Its dominant sense is legal: to seize a person by lawful authority and take them into custody, typically on suspicion of a crime. The word also carries a broader sense of stopping or checking movement or development — doctors speak of arresting the growth of a tumour, and 'cardiac arrest' names the sudden failure of the heart. A related adjectival form, 'arresting', describes something so striking it holds the gaze. The noun 'arrest' denotes the act itself, as in 'under arrest' or 'house arrest'. The word carries connotations of authority, finality, and interruption: whatever is arrested is brought to a halt. It is standard in both British and American English, formal enough for legal and medical registers yet familiar in everyday speech. Its Latin root, meaning 'to stop' or 'to stay', quietly explains all its modern uses.
To seize someone by legal authority and take them into custody; to stop or check the progress of something.
"Police arrested the driver on suspicion of drink-driving."
Commonly used in passive constructions such as 'was arrested' in news reporting.
The act of seizing someone and taking them into custody; the state of being held in custody.
"He was placed under arrest at the scene."
Used when referring to multiple instances of arrest, often in statistics or reporting.
"Arrests rose sharply during the protests."
The word 'arrest' literally means to 'stop' — which is why doctors still use it for a heart that stops beating.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of arrest
Arrest entered English from Old French 'arester', which derived from Vulgar Latin 'arrestare', formed from Latin 'ad-' (to) plus 'restare' (to stand back, remain, stop). The underlying idea is that of bringing something or someone to a standstill. It has been used in English since the Middle Ages, first in the legal sense of seizing a person. Cognates include French 'arrêter' and Italian 'arrestare'.
Related word forms
How arrest is actually used
In legal contexts, 'arrest' is formal and precise. In medicine, 'cardiac arrest' refers to the sudden cessation of heart function. The figurative sense of halting progress is common in medical and technical writing ('arrest the growth of').
Easily confused with arrest
'Arresting' as an adjective means strikingly attractive or attention-grabbing, while 'arrest' is the act of seizing or stopping.