arrested

Arrested is the past tense and past participle of arrest, and can also function as an adjective describing a person who has been detained by law enforcement or a situation that has been stopped or halted. In legal terms, to arrest means to seize a person by authority of law and take them into custody on suspicion of involvement in a crime. An arrest may be made with or without a warrant, depending on the jurisdiction and the circumstances. Following an arrest, the person may be booked, held for questioning, and later charged or released on bail; procedures for detention, charging, and court appearances vary by country and region.

Civil rights and due process protections govern arrest procedures. In many jurisdictions, arrestees must be informed of the reason for arrest and, in some systems, of their right to counsel and against self-incrimination. In the United States, the rights to remain silent and to have an attorney are typically invoked through warnings akin to the Miranda rights; other jurisdictions have different equivalents.

Arrested also appears in idiomatic and figurative use. The phrase “arrested development” describes a halt or severe slowing of growth or progress, while “arrested motion” or similar terms may be used in technical contexts to indicate a stoppage in movement or progression.

Etymology generally traces the word to Old French arrest and Latin arrestus, relating to a stoppage or hindrance. The core sense centers on quieting or restraining movement by lawful authority. See also arrest (law), arrest warrant, and detention.