/ əˈrest; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
1.
[ vn ] [ often passive ] arrest sb (for sth) if the police arrest sb, the person is taken to a police station and kept there because the police believe they may be guilty of a crime :
A man has been arrested in connection with the robbery.
She was arrested for drug-related offences.
You could get arrested for doing that.
2.
[ vn ] ( formal ) to stop a process or a development :
They failed to arrest the company's decline.
3.
[ vn ] ( formal ) to make sb notice sth and pay attention to it :
An unusual noise arrested his attention .
4.
[ v ] if sb arrests , their heart stops beating :
He arrested on the way to the hospital.
■ noun [ C , U ]
1.
the act of arresting sb :
The police made several arrests.
She was under arrest on suspicion of murder.
Opposition leaders were put under house arrest (= not allowed to leave their houses) .
—see also citizen's arrest
2.
an act of sth stopping or being interrupted :
He died after suffering a cardiac arrest (= when his heart suddenly stopped) .
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French arester , based on Latin ad- at, to + restare remain, stop.