arrest
noun
Arrest — the formal seizure and detention of a person by legal authority
Definition
The act of apprehending (especially apprehending a criminal); "the policeman on the beat got credit for the collar"
In depth
An arrest is the act of apprehending, especially a criminal, the formal, legally recognized act of seizing and detaining a person suspected of a crime, depriving them of their liberty pending further legal proceedings. The word also carries a separate medical sense, describing the sudden stopping of a bodily function, as in cardiac arrest, both senses sharing an underlying concept of forceful stopping or restraint.
Origin
The word descends from Old French arester, to stop or detain, ultimately from Latin ad- (to) and restare (to remain or stop). That underlying sense of forceful stopping, rather than mere capture, distinguishes arrest from related words, the arrested person or process brought to a sudden, compelled halt rather than simply seized and removed.
Usage examples
"The policeman on the beat got credit for the arrest after recognizing the suspect from a recent description."
"Her arrest, though ultimately overturned, left a lasting mark on both her reputation and her trust in the system."
"The patient went into cardiac arrest just minutes before emergency responders finally arrived."
How to use it
Arrest is essential legal and law enforcement vocabulary, but writers should note its entirely separate medical sense describing a sudden bodily stoppage, with context clarifying which meaning, criminal detention or physiological event, is intended.
Related concepts
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