hostage

American  

[hos-tij] / ˈhɒs tɪdʒ /

noun

1. a person given or held as security for the fulfillment of certain conditions or terms, promises, etc., by another.

2. Archaic. a security or pledge.

3. Obsolete. the condition of a hostage.

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verb (used with object)

hostaged, hostaging

1. to give (someone) as a hostage.

   He was hostaged to the Indians.

hostage British  

/ ˈhɒstɪdʒ /

noun

1. a person given to or held by a person, organization, etc, as a security or pledge or for ransom, release, exchange for prisoners, etc

2. the state of being held as a hostage

3. any security or pledge

4. to place oneself in a position in which misfortune may strike through the loss of what one values most

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Other Word Forms

• hostageship noun

Etymology

Origin of hostage

1225–75; Middle English < Old French hostage ( h- by association with ( h ) oste host ² ), ostage ≪ Vulgar Latin *obsidāticum state of being a hostage < Latin obsid- (stem of obses ) hostage (equivalent to ob- ob- + sid- sit ¹ ) + -āticum -age

Example Sentences

He said he was opposed to all hostage agreements.

From BBC

Relations with the United States were cut in the wake of the hostage siege of the US embassy in Tehran that began that year and have remained severed ever since.

From Barron's

The Islamic republic has weathered previous blistering attacks -- by Iraq in the 1980s and Israel last June -- and a 1980 US helicopter mission to free hostages ended disastrously.

From Barron's

The women were released after more than 50 days as hostages.

From BBC

At Sam First, you’re so far into the Westside it feels conniving and like a tech monster might hold you hostage until you give up all your data.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• captive
• prisoner
• victim