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Added 3 October 2026

arrest

/əˈɹɛst/ noun

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about arrest at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A check; a stop; an act or instance of arresting something.
(Can we add an example for this sense?)
The condition of being stopped, standstill.
cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest
The process of arresting a criminal, suspect etc.
State police made a total of 15 drug-related arrests across the city.

verb

To stop the motion of (a person, animal, or body part). .mw-parser-output .defdate{font-size:smaller}
To stay, remain.
To stop or slow (a process, course etc.).

Origin

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”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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