3 PHRASE If sums of money such as wages or taxes are paid in arrears , they are paid at the end of the period of time to which they relate, for example after a job has been done and the wages have been earned. □ Unemployment benefit is paid fortnightly in arrears.
ar|rest ◆◆◇ /əre st/ (arrests , arresting , arrested )
1 VERB If the police arrest you, they take charge of you and take you to a police station, because they believe you may have committed a crime. □ [V n] Police arrested five young men in connection with one of the attacks. □ [be V -ed + for ] The police say seven people were arrested for minor offences. [Also V n for n] ● N‑VAR [oft under N ] Arrest is also a noun. □ The Police Department wasted no time in making an arrest. □ Murder squad detectives approached the man and placed him under arrest.
2 VERB If something or someone arrests a process, they stop it continuing. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The sufferer may have to make major changes in his or her life to arrest the disease.
3 VERB If something interesting or surprising arrests your attention, you suddenly notice it and then continue to look at it or consider it carefully. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The work of an architect of genius always arrests the attention no matter how little remains.
4 → see also house arrest SYNONYMS arrest VERB 1
capture: The guerrillas shot down one aeroplane and captured the pilot.
catch: Police say they are confident of catching the gunman.
detain: He was arrested and detained for questioning.
ar|rest|able /əre stəb ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] An arrestable offence is an offence that you can be arrested for. □ Using foul and abusive language to a police officer is an arrestable offence.
ar|ri|val ◆◇◇ /əra I v ə l/ (arrivals )
1 N‑VAR [oft with poss, on N ] When a person or vehicle arrives at a place, you can refer to their arrival . □ …the day after his arrival in England. □ He was dead on arrival at the nearby hospital. □ …the airport arrivals hall.
2 N‑VAR [oft with poss] When someone starts a new job, you can refer to their arrival in that job. □ …the power vacuum created by the arrival of a new president.
3 N‑SING [usu with poss] When something is brought to you or becomes available, you can refer to its arrival . □ [+ of ] I was flicking idly through a newspaper while awaiting the arrival of orange juice and coffee.
4 N‑SING When a particular time comes or a particular event happens, you can refer to its arrival . □ [+ of ] He celebrated the arrival of the New Year with a party for his friends.
5 N‑COUNT [usu adj N ] You can refer to someone who has just arrived at a place as a new arrival . □ A high proportion of the new arrivals are skilled professionals.
ar|rive ◆◆◇ /əra I v/ (arrives , arriving , arrived )
1 VERB When a person or vehicle arrives at a place, they come to it at the end of a journey. □ [V ] Fresh groups of guests arrived. □ [V prep/adv] The Princess Royal arrived at Gatwick this morning from Jamaica.
2 VERB When you arrive at a place, you come to it for the first time in order to stay, live, or work there. □ [V prep/adv] …in the old days before the European settlers arrived in the country. [Also V ]
3 VERB When something such as letter or meal arrives , it is brought or delivered to you. □ [V ] Breakfast arrived while he was in the bathroom.
4 VERB When something such as a new product or invention arrives , it becomes available. □ [V ] The game was due to arrive in Japanese stores in March.
5 VERB When a particular moment or event arrives , it happens, especially after you have been waiting for it or expecting it. □ [V ] The time has arrived when I need to give up smoking. □ [V ] …the belief that the army would be much further forward before winter arrived.
6 VERB When you arrive at something such as a decision, you decide something after thinking about it or discussing it. □ [V + at ] …if the jury cannot arrive at a unanimous decision.
ar|ri|viste /æ riviː st/ (arrivistes ) N‑COUNT You describe someone as an arriviste when you are criticizing them because they are trying very hard to belong to an influential or important social group which you feel they have no right to belong to. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …political arrivistes.
ar|ro|gant /æ rəgənt/ ADJ Someone who is arrogant behaves in a proud, unpleasant way towards other people because they believe that they are more important than others. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ He was so arrogant. □ That sounds arrogant, doesn't it? ● ar|ro|gance N‑UNCOUNT □ At times the arrogance of those in power is quite blatant.
ar|ro|gate /æ rəge I t/ (arrogates , arrogating , arrogated ) VERB If someone arrogates to themselves something such as a responsibility or privilege, they claim or take it even though they have no right to do so. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V + to ] The assembly arrogated to itself the right to make changes. □ [V n + to ] He arrogated the privilege to himself alone.
ar|row /æ roʊ/ (arrows )
1 N‑COUNT An arrow is a long thin weapon which is sharp and pointed at one end and which often has feathers at the other end. An arrow is shot from a bow. □ Warriors armed with bows and arrows and spears have invaded their villages.
2 N‑COUNT An arrow is a written or printed sign that consists of a straight line with another line bent at a sharp angle at one end. This is a printed arrow: →. The arrow points in a particular direction to indicate where something is. □ A series of arrows points the way to his grave.