the act of apprehending (especially apprehending a criminal)
"the policeman on the beat got credit for the collar"
A check, stop, an act or instance of arresting something.
"The sudden friction caused a brief arrest in the car's momentum before it skidded to a halt."
In plain English: An arrest is when police take someone into custody because they are suspected of breaking the law.
"The police made an arrest at the scene of the robbery."
Usage: Use this noun to describe any sudden halt in movement or progress, such as a sharp arrest of breath. It is often confused with "arrest" as a verb meaning to detain someone legally, but here it simply refers to stopping an action abruptly.
To stop the motion of (a person or animal).
"The strong wind arrested the flight of the kite, causing it to drop straight down."
In plain English: To arrest someone means to take them into custody because they are suspected of breaking the law.
"The police arrested the suspect for stealing money from the store."
The word arrest comes from the Old French arester, which originally meant "to stay" or "stop." It entered English via Middle English and is built on Latin roots meaning "back" combined with a verb for standing still.