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apprehender

apprehender

9.2
A person who arrests people and takes them to the police
  • noun
  • /ˌæprɪˈhɛndər/
translation icon : detector
  • As an apprehender, she was responsible for bringing the criminal to justice.

Examples

  • An apprehender must have the proper authority to make an arrest.

  • Apprehenders of "truth," such persons lack the "efficacious" blessing of faith.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Perhaps Claudina's apprehenders thought she was conjuring, partaking in a sabbat, or making a pact.

    Academic text (2001)
  • The apprehender quickly restrained the suspect before he could escape.

Synonyms

captor
vsapprehender
56 6.1

A person or animal that takes and holds another living thing, often by force

arrests people as a lawful act rather than using force alone
manhunter
vsapprehender
1 7.0

A person who finds and catches criminals who are running away

arrests and seizes people officially rather than just pursuing them
capturer
vsapprehender
1 6.6

A person who catches and keeps people or animals

arrests people with legal authority and a justice purpose
thief-taker
vsapprehender
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A person who catches criminals for money before modern police existed

arrests people as lawful agents rather than for private reward
seizer
vsapprehender
7.7

A person or thing that takes and keeps something

arrests people specifically as a legal action for justice

Surface Forms

apprehender singular
apprehenders plural

Morphology

apprehender = apprehend (transparent) = apprehend + er

Agent noun formed by the productive suffix '-er' from the verb 'apprehend'; meaning 'one who arrests/seizes' is directly derived.

Etymology

Apprehender comes from Latin parts ad- meaning 'to' and prehendere meaning 'to seize' or 'to grasp'. Think of it as 'the one who grasps', and the same root is in comprehend, so an apprehender is literally someone who 'seizes' or arrests a person.