— arrestable , adj. — arrestment , n.
/euh rest"/ , v.t.
1. to seize (a person) by legal authority or warrant; take into custody: The police arrested the burglar.
2. to catch and hold; attract and fix; engage: The loud noise arrested our attention.
3. to check the course of; stop; slow down: to arrest progress.
4. Med. to control or stop the active progress of (a disease): The new drug did not arrest the cancer.
n.
5. the taking of a person into legal custody, as by officers of the law.
6. any seizure or taking by force.
7. an act of stopping or the state of being stopped: the arrest of tooth decay.
8. Mach. any device for stopping machinery; stop.
9. under arrest , in custody of the police or other legal authorities: They placed the suspect under arrest at the scene of the crime.
[ 1275-1325; (v.) ME aresten arester, arrestare to stop (see AR-, REST 2 ); (n.) ME arest ( e ) ]
Syn. 1. apprehend. 2. secure, rivet, occupy. 3. stay. See stop. 5. detention, apprehension, imprisonment. 7. stoppage, halt, stay, check.