kidnap
[kid-nap]
- to steal, carry off, or abduct by force or fraud, especially for use as a hostage or to extract ransom.
Origin of kidnap
Synonyms
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.comseize, bear off, bear away.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for kidnap
Contemporary Examples
As long as there are states willing to negotiate payments with groups like ISIS, there will be a financial incentive to kidnap.
This matters for trafficking because it costs a lot to kidnap someone and hold her against her will.
This man was taken from Libya and it is not legal to kidnap people from Libya.
As a result, Bo sent several hundred armed police to surround the U.S. Consulate, attempting to kidnap Wang.
The CIA, he says, could “render” (i.e., kidnap) him at any time, which is highly unlikely but not symptomatic of the paranoid.
Historical Examples
Flo, you must be here for the news, if I have to go in a hansom and kidnap you.
The Mystery of Murray DavenportRobert Neilson Stephens
They came up to kidnap the King, and—as I say—somehow they found him.
The Prisoner of ZendaAnthony Hope
"Perhaps Rita may be induced to kidnap herself," remarked Billy.
Likewise, the possibility of an 373 attempt to kidnap her in his absence was not overlooked.
Nan of Music MountainFrank H. Spearman
But you don't think he would go so far as to kidnap Penrhyn, do you?
Torchy and VeeSewell Ford
kidnap
- (tr) to carry off and hold (a person), usually for ransom
Word Origin
C17: kid 1 + obsolete nap to steal; see nab
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for kidnap
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper