Stops something from continuing; or the act of law enforcement taking someone into custody for suspected crimes.
From Old French 'arester' (to stop, hinder), from Latin 'ad-' (to) + 'restare' (to stop, remain). The legal meaning developed in medieval times when authorities needed to physically stop someone.
The word 'arrest' literally means 'to stop,' but it took on its legal meaning because medieval law enforcement would physically stop or seize a suspect—showing how language reflects the actual methods used in earlier times.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.