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
   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

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.

From Fortune

Living in Rio is like “being a hostage to violence,” says Rafael César, who lives in the neighborhood of Cordovil, west of the city.

From MIT Technology Review

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.

From Fortune

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.

From Washington Post

This August, the final captives held hostage by Somali pirates were finally released after an excruciatingly long captivity.

From Fortune

They took cover inside a print works to the north east of Paris, where they held a member of staff as a hostage.

From The Daily Beast

France 24's coverage of two developing hostage situations in Paris on Friday.

From The Daily Beast

The camera passes to each hostage in turn to allow them to plead with the Lebanese government to let them live.

From The Daily Beast

As a cafe in Sydney, Australia came under siege by a hostage-taking gunman on Monday, those nearby attempted to flee the area.

From The Daily Beast

Two hostages are dead and 15 others free after an Islamic radical took them hostage before police killed him.

From The Daily Beast

She was held as a hostage in Jamestown in an effort to restore peace between the Indians and the English.

From Project Gutenberg

I am summoned hither, so I come, but it may be necessary to secure a hostage for my safe conduct outside the walls again.

From Project Gutenberg

The chiefs, in retiring from the conference, took with them Captain Trevor as a hostage.

From Project Gutenberg

Vehement the words of Wise, who imagined that the Yankees had seized one of his children as a hostage for himself.

From Project Gutenberg

With such a town, and such a hostage, all Asiatic Siberia must necessarily fall into the hands of the invaders.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• captive
• prisoner
• victim