hostage

Pluralhostages

Formshostages, hostaging, hostaged

1. 1
   nouncountable

   A person who is captured and held to force someone else to do, or stop doing, something.

   Like holding onto something a person cares about until they do what you ask.

   The robbers took a hostage to bargain with the police.

   Soldiers freed the hostages after a long standoff.

   Similarcaptive, prisoner

   Note
2. 2
   noununcountable

   The state of being held by someone who wants to force others to act a certain way.

   He was held hostage until his family paid.

   The passengers were taken hostage by the hijackers.

   Similarprisoner

   Note
3. 3
   nouncountable

   Something valued that is in danger, which limits what you can safely do.

   Like money you have already put on the table: you must play carefully because you could lose it.

   His promise became a hostage to events he could not control.

   Their plans were a hostage to the weather on the big day.

   Note
4. 4
   nouncountable

   A person who cannot act freely because something threatens or controls them.

   Many workers feel like hostages to jobs they cannot afford to leave.

   She refused to be a hostage to other people's expectations.

   Similarslave, prisoner, captive

   Note
5. 5
   nouncountable

   A person handed over to another side as a promise that an agreement will be kept.

   The defeated lord gave his son as a hostage to the victorious king.

   The two sides exchanged hostages so neither would break the treaty.

   Similarpledge

   Note
6. 6
   verbnonstandardtransitive

   To hold a person or thing and use the threat of harm to control or trade them.

   The pirates hostaged the ship's crew for a large ransom.

   They tried to hostage the supplies to force a better deal.

   Similarseize, kidnap, abduct, hijack

   Oppositerelease, free

   Note
7. 7
   verbnonstandardtransitive

   To hand over a person or thing as a hostage to someone else.

   The lord hostaged his daughter to the enemy as a sign of good faith.

   Both sides agreed to hostage a few soldiers to keep the peace.

   Note

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