- arrest
- an act of taking and keeping someone in custody legally, so that he or she can be questioned and perhaps charged with a crime
Usage a warrant is out for his or her arrest- a magistrate has signed a warrant, giving the police the power to arrest someone for a crime
Usage under arrest- kept and held by the police
Example Six of the gang are in the police station under arrest.- to hold someone legally so as to keep him or her in custody and charge them with a crime
Examples Two of the strikers were arrested. • The constable stopped the car and arrested the driver.- to seize a ship or its cargo
- to stop something from continuing
Definition
noun
verb
COMMENT Any citizen may arrest a person who is committing a serious offence, though members of the police force have wider powers, in particular the power to arrest persons on suspicion of a serious crime or in cases where an arrest warrant has been granted. Generally a police officer is not entitled to arrest someone without a warrant if the person does not know or is not told the reason for their arrest.