hostage

[ hos-tij ]

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.

verb (used with object)

, hos·taged, hos·tag·ing.

1. to give (someone) as a hostage:

   He was hostaged to the Indians.

hostage

/ 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. give hostages to fortune
   to place oneself in a position in which misfortune may strike through the loss of what one values most

Other Words From

• hostage·ship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hostage¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of hostage¹

C13: from Old French, from hoste guest, host ¹

Example Sentences

Members of the Palestinian militant group Black September had taken 11 Israeli athletes hostage, demanding the release of hundreds of prisoners held in their country’s jails.

From Los Angeles Times

Israel says 97 hostages are still being held, 34 of whom are presumed dead.

From BBC

Nadia Bouras, a Dutch historian of Moroccan descent, told Amsterdam’s Het Parool newspaper that using the term “integration” for people who had already lived in the Netherlands for four generations was like “holding them hostage”.

From BBC

MSF said staff were "violently attacked, insulted, tear-gassed, threatened with death" and held hostage for more than four hours before being released.

From BBC

"A captor attempts to feed his prisoner to a monster, and there are other scenes of threat involving bombs, hostages and a hero being frozen alive."

From BBC

Related Words

• captive
• prisoner
• victim