arrest

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*steh₂-“to stand”
2. Latin · derived fromad-“to”
3. Vulgar Latin · derived from*arrestō
4. Old French · derived fromareste
5. Middle English · inherited fromarest
6. English todayarrest

From Middle English arest (noun) and aresten (verb), from Old French areste (noun) and arester (“to stay, stop”, verb), from Vulgar Latin *arrestō, from Latin ad- (“to”) + restō (“to stop, remain behind, stay back”), from re- (“back”) + stō (“to stand”), from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand”), equivalent to ad- + rest. Compare French arrêter (“to stop”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• 14th–19th c. To stop the motion of (a person, animal, or body part).
• 14th–16th c. To stay, remain.
• from 14th c. To stop or slow (a process, course etc.).
• from 14th c. To seize (someone) with the authority of the law; to take into legal custody.
• from 19th c. To catch the attention of.