arrest

arrestverb

To arrest is to take someone by the power of the law, or, more formally, to stop or slow the development of something.

1. take by policetake someone by the power of the law because they are believed to have committed a crime

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj] usually passive [usually passive] crime

   • Police arrested two men outside the bank. V + obj
   • She was arrested for shoplifting. V + obj
   • He was arrested on suspicion of theft. V + obj
   • They arrested him at the airport. V + obj

   Collocations

   verb + preposition arrest for, arrest on suspicion of

2. stop or slowstop or slow the development of something

   transitive [T] verb + object [V + obj] formal

   • The treatment can arrest the spread of the disease. V + obj
   • Efforts to arrest the decline have so far failed. V + obj
   • The chemical arrests the growth of bacteria. V + obj
   • Nothing seemed able to arrest his decline. V + obj