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hostage
[ hos-tij ]
noun
- a person given or held as security for the fulfillment of certain conditions or terms, promises, etc., by another.
- Archaic. a security or pledge.
- Obsolete. the condition of a hostage.
verb (used with object)
- to give (someone) as a hostage:
He was hostaged to the Indians.
hostage
/ ˈhɒstɪdʒ /
noun
- a person given to or held by a person, organization, etc, as a security or pledge or for ransom, release, exchange for prisoners, etc
- the state of being held as a hostage
- any security or pledge
- give hostages to fortuneto place oneself in a position in which misfortune may strike through the loss of what one values most
Other Words From
- hostage·ship noun
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of hostage1
Example Sentences
Pelosi has insisted for months that state and local aid would be in any final bill, but as time is running out, Democrats appear unwilling to hold the rest of the package hostage over the demand.
Living in Rio is like “being a hostage to violence,” says Rafael César, who lives in the neighborhood of Cordovil, west of the city.
In it, he argues that conversations—at least the really hard ones—are too important to entrust solely to traditional “professionals” like facilitators, mediators, psychologists, or hostage negotiators.
The threat to Democratic unity is as much from within as it is from outside, however, with slim margins potentially empowering rival blocs inside the Democratic ranks to band together and hold legislation hostage.
This August, the final captives held hostage by Somali pirates were finally released after an excruciatingly long captivity.
They took cover inside a print works to the north east of Paris, where they held a member of staff as a hostage.
France 24's coverage of two developing hostage situations in Paris on Friday.
The camera passes to each hostage in turn to allow them to plead with the Lebanese government to let them live.
As a cafe in Sydney, Australia came under siege by a hostage-taking gunman on Monday, those nearby attempted to flee the area.
Two hostages are dead and 15 others free after an Islamic radical took them hostage before police killed him.
She was held as a hostage in Jamestown in an effort to restore peace between the Indians and the English.
I am summoned hither, so I come, but it may be necessary to secure a hostage for my safe conduct outside the walls again.
The chiefs, in retiring from the conference, took with them Captain Trevor as a hostage.
Vehement the words of Wise, who imagined that the Yankees had seized one of his children as a hostage for himself.
With such a town, and such a hostage, all Asiatic Siberia must necessarily fall into the hands of the invaders.
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