Definition
To arrest is to take someone into legal custody because they are suspected of a crime. It can also mean to stop something from continuing, like arresting a disease.
Etymology
From Old French “arester” meaning “to stop” or “restrain,” from Latin “arrestare,” from “ad-” (to) and “restare” (to remain or stop). It first meant simply to stop movement.
Kelly Says
An arrest is the moment a person’s freedom hits a wall: they can’t just walk away anymore. The same word can describe stopping a falling object or a spreading illness, because in every case, motion suddenly freezes.
Translations
ARالعربية
يعتقل
ya-ta-qil
BNবাংলা
গ্রেপ্তার
grep-tar
CSČeština
zatknout
ZAHT-knoot
DADansk
arrestere
ah-res-TEH-reh
DEDeutsch
verhaften
fer-HAHF-ten
ELΕλληνικά
συλλαμβάνω
sil-lam-VAH-noh
ESEspañol
arrestar
ah-rres-TAHR
FAفارسی
دستگیر کردن
dast-geer kar-dan
FISuomi
pidättää
PEE-daht-taah
FRFrançais
arrêter
ah-reh-TAY
GUGU
ધરપકડ કરવી
dhar-pa-kad kar-vee
HIहिन्दी
गिरफ्तार करना
gi-rif-taar kar-na
HUMagyar
letartóztatni
LEH-tar-tohs-taht-ni
IDBahasa Indonesia
menangkap
men-ahng-KAHP
ITItaliano
arrestare
ah-rres-TAH-reh
KMKM
ចាប់ខ្លួន
chap kluon
MRMR
अटक करणे
a-tak kar-ne
MSBahasa Melayu
menangkap
men-ahng-KAHP
NLNederlands
arresteren
ah-res-TEH-ren
NONorsk
arrestere
ah-res-TEH-reh
PAPA
ਗ੍ਰਿਫਤਾਰ ਕਰਨਾ
grif-taar kar-na
PLPolski
aresztować
ah-resh-TOH-vahch
PTPortuguês
prender
pren-DEHR
RORomână
aresta
ah-res-TAH
RUРусский
арестовать
ah-res-toh-VAHT
SVSvenska
arrestera
ah-res-TEH-rah
SWKiswahili
kamatia
kah-mah-TEE-ah
TEతెలుగు
అరెస్టు
a-res-tu
TRTürkçe
tutuklamak
too-took-lah-MAHK
UKУкраїнська
арештувати
ah-resh-too-VAH-ty
URاردو
گرفتار کرنا
gi-rif-taar kar-na
VITiếng Việt
bắt giữ
bat giu
Ethical Language Guidance
Gender History
Arrest practices have shown gendered patterns, with women and gender‑nonconforming people sometimes targeted differently, including for morality‑based offenses. The term itself is neutral but embedded in policing systems with documented gender and racial biases.
Inclusive Usage
Use "arrest" precisely and avoid implying guilt; when relevant, note disparities in who is arrested and how they are treated, without stereotyping entire groups.
Inclusive Alternatives
["take into custody","detain (where legally accurate)"]