arrest
verbEtymology From Middle English arest (noun) and aresten (verb), from Old French areste (noun) and arester (“to stay, stop”, verb), from Vulgar Latin *arrestō, from Latin ad- (“to”) + restō (“to stop, remain behind, stay back”), from re- (“back”) + stō (“to stand”), from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand”), equivalent to ad- + rest. Compare French arrêter (“to stop”).
1
Obsolete To stop the motion of (a person, animal, or body part).
- An vncouth paine torments my grieued ſoule, And death arreſts the organe of my voyce.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene vii:
- Nor could her virtues, nor repeated vows Of thousand lovers, the relentless hand Of Death arrest;1708, [John Philips], “Book I”, in Cyder. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 11:
1 more example
- Mr. Van Rensberg broke the spell by arresting Martha as she trailed past him on Billy's arm, by pointing his pipestem at her and saying, ‘Hey, Matty, come here a minute.’1952, Doris Lessing, Martha Quest, Panther, published 1974, page 86:
2
Obsolete To stay, remain.
- A white Starre[…]whiche to every mans sighte did lighte and arrest apon the Standard of Albry.1538, John Leland, Itineraries:
3
To stop or slow (a process, course etc.).
- To try to arrest the spiral of violence, I contacted Chief Buthelezi to arrange a meeting.1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela, London: Abacus, published 2010, page 707:
- 1997: Chris Horrocks, Introducing Foucault, page 69 (Totem Books, Icon Books; →ISBN Knowledge replaced universal resemblance with finite differences. History was arrested and turned into tables …Western reason had entered the age of judgement.
4
To seize (someone) with the authority of the law; to take into legal custody.
- The police have arrested a suspect in the murder inquiry.
- The suspect merchant ship has been arrested by customs officers.
2 more examples
- I arrest thee of high treason.1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
- The policeman who arrests the "Red" does not understand the theories the "Red" is preaching; if he did, his own position as bodyguard of the monied class might seem less pleasant to him.1941, George Orwell, The Lion and the Unicorn, Pt. I:
5
To catch the attention of.
- There is something about this picture—something bold and vigorous, which arrests the attention. I feel sure it would be highly popular.1919: P. G. Wodehouse, My Man Jeeves
6
Medicine, Sciences To undergo cardiac arrest.
- Realizing the mistake immediately from the outline of the RCA on the fluoroscope screen, he rapidly removed the catheter – just as his patient arrested.2004, Euan A. Ashley, Josef Niebauer, Cardiology Explained, page 66:
- Derived terms
- aperest, arrestability, arrestable, arrestee, arrester, arrestor, arresting, arrestive, arrestment, arrest-me-red, dearrest, rearrest, unarrest
- Related terms
- arrestation