Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
1,761,167,164 visitors served.
forum mailing list For webmasters
?
New: Language forums
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

hostage

   Also found in: Legal, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.03 sec.
hos·tage  (hstj)
n.
1. A person held by one party in a conflict as security that specified terms will be met by the opposing party.
2. One that serves as security against an implied threat: superpowers held hostage to each other by their nuclear arsenals.
3. One that is manipulated by the demands of another: "National policies cannot be made hostage to another country" (Alan D. Romberg).

[Middle English, from Old French, probably from host, guest, host; see host1.]

hostage [ˈhɒstɪdʒ]
n
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
give hostages to fortune to place oneself in a position in which misfortune may strike through the loss of what one values most
[from Old French, from hoste guest, host1]

A person held as a pledge that certain terms or agreements will be kept. (The taking of hostages is forbidden under the Geneva Conventions, 1949.)
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.hostagehostage - a prisoner who is held by one party to insure that another party will meet specified terms
captive, prisoner - a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war

hostage
noun captive, prisoner, pledge, pawn, security, surety the man they were holding as a hostage
Translations
hostage [ˈhɒstɪdʒ] Nrehén mf
to take sb hostagetomar or (LAm) agarrar a algn como rehén

hostage [ˈhɒstɪdʒ] notage m
to take sb hostage → prendre qn en otage
to be taken hostage → être pris(e) en otage
to be held hostage → être retenu(e) en otage
host computer nordinateur m hôte
host country n
[conference, sports event] → pays m d'accueil
[immigrant] → pays m d'accueil

hostage
nGeisel f; to take/hold somebody hostagejdn als Geisel nehmen/halten; to take hostagesGeiseln nehmen

hostage:
hostage-taker
nGeiselnehmer(in) m(f)
hostage-taking
nGeiselnahme f

hostage [ˈhɒstɪdʒ] nostaggio
to take sb hostage → prendere qn in ostaggio
hostage [ˈhɒstɪdʒ] nostaggio
to take sb hostage → prendere qn in ostaggio

hostage
n hostage [ˈhostidʒ]
a person who is held prisoner in order to ensure that the captor's demands etc will be carried out The terrorists took three people with them as hostages; They took / were holding three people hostage. gyselaar رَهينَه заложник rukojmí gidsel die Geisel όμηρος rehén pantvang گروگان panttivanki otage בֶּן עֲרוּבָּה बंधक व्यक्ति talac túsz sandera gísl ostaggio 人質 인질 įkaitas ķīlnieks tebusan gijzelaar gissel zakładnik refém os­tatic заложник rukojemník talec talac gisslan ตัวประกัน rehine 人質 заручник مکفول شخص con tin
take, hold (someone) hostage
to take or keep (someone) as a hostage The police were unable to attack the terrorists because they were holding three people hostage. hou as gyselaar aan يَحْتَفِظ كَرَهينَه взимам/държа заложници držet jako rukojmí tage som gidsel; holde som gidsel (jemanden) als Geisel festhalten κρατώ όμηρο tomar/coger a alguien como rehén pantvangi võtma, pantvangis hoidma بعنوان گروي نگهداشتن ottaa panttivangiksi prendre/garder en otage לְהַחֲזִיק בְּבֶּן עֲרוּבָּה बंधक बनाना uzeti za taoce, držati taoce túszként fogva tart mendapat pujian taka í gíslingu prendere/tenere in ostaggio 人質にする 인질로 잡다 paimti/laikyti įkaitu saņemt/turēt kā ķīlnieku menahan seseorang sebagai tebusan afleiden ta/holde som gissel brać jako zakładników fazer reféns a lua/a ţine ostatic брать, держать в качестве заложника držať ako rukojemníka imeti koga za talca uzeti taoce ta/hålla ngn som gisslan ตัวประกัน rehin tutmak/almak 被當人質扣押 брати заручника; утримувати заручника کسی کو مکفول کرنا bắt con tin

hostage رهينة rukojmí gidsel Geisel όμηρος rehén panttivanki otage taoc ostaggio 人質 인질 gijzelaar gissel zakładnik refém заложник gisslan ตัวประกัน rehine con tin 人质


How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Email
Feedback
Add definition
? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
But there is, and not so long till then; and we'll see who'll be glad to have a hostage when it comes to that.
In the monarchy of Great Britain, it furnishes a substitute for the prohibited responsibility of the chief magistrate, which serves in some degree as a hostage to the national justice for his good behavior.
With her as hostage I could force acquiescence to my every demand.
 
Dictionary/thesaurus browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Translations
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.