kidnap (redirected from kidnaps)

kid·nap  (kdnp)

tr.v. kid·napped or kid·naped, kid·nap·ping or kid·nap·ing, kid·naps

To seize and detain unlawfully and usually for ransom.

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[Probably kid + nap, to snatch (perhaps variant of nab, and or of Scandinavian origin).]

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kidnap·pee, kidnap·ee (kdn-p) n.

kidnap n.

kidnapper, kidnaper n.

Word History: Appropriately enough, kidnapper seems to have originated among those who perpetrate this crime. We know this because kid and napper, the two parts of the compound, were slang of the sort that criminals used. Kid, which still has an informal air, was considered low slang when kidnapper was formed, and napper is obsolete slang for a thief, coming from the verb nap, "to steal." Nap is possibly a variant of nab, which also still has a slangy ring. In 1678, the year in which the word is first recorded, kidnappers plied their trade to secure laborers for plantations in colonies such as the ones in North America. The term later took on the broader sense that it has today. The verb kidnap is recorded later (1682) than the noun and so is possibly a back-formation, that is, people may have assumed that a kidnapper kidnaps.

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kidnap

Verb

[-napping, -napped] or US [-naping, -naped] to capture and hold (a person), usually for ransom [kid¹ + obsolete nap to steal]

kidnapper or US
-naper n
kidnapping or US
-naping n

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

kidnap - take away to an undisclosed location against their will and usually in order to extract a ransom; "The industrialist's son was kidnapped" abduct, nobble, snatch crime, criminal offence, criminal offense, law-breaking, offense, offence - (criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act; "a long record of crimes" seize - take or capture by force; "The terrorists seized the politicians"; "The rebels threaten to seize civilian hostages" shanghai, impress - take (someone) against his will for compulsory service, especially on board a ship; "The men were shanghaied after being drugged"

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kidnap

verb abduct, remove, steal, capture, seize, snatch (slang) hijack, run off with, run away with, make off with, hold to ransom

Translations

kidnap [ˈkɪdnæp] vt → secuestrar

kidnap [ˈkɪdnæp] vt → enlever, kidnapper

kidnap [ˈkɪdnæp] vt → entführen, kidnappen

kidnap [ˈkɪdnæp] vt → rapire, sequestrare

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kidnap

v kidnap [ˈkidnӕp]

to carry off (a person) by force, often demanding money in exchange for his safe return He is very wealthy and lives in fear of his children being kidnapped.ontvoerيَخْطُف، يَخْتَطِفотвличамunéstkidnappeentführenαπάγωsecuestrar, raptarinimest röövimaآدم ربایی کردنkidnapatakidnapperלַחטוֹףअपहरण करनाotetielrabolmenculikrænarapire, sequestrare誘かいする유괴하다pagrobtinolaupīt (bērnu); ar varu aizvest (kādu)diculikontvoerenkidnappe, bortføreporwaćraptara kid­napa, a răpiпохищать (людей)uniesťugrabitikidnapovatikidnappaลักพาตัวเพื่อเรียกค่าไถ่(adam) kaçırmak綁架викрадатиاغوا کرناbắt cóc绑架

n ˈkidnapper

ontvoerderمُخْتَطِفпохитителúnoscekidnapper; bortførerder Entführerαπαγωγέαςsecuestradorinimröövijaآدم رباkidnappaajaravisseur/-euseחוֹטֶףअपहर्ताotimačemberrablópenculikmannræningirapitore, rapitrice, sequestratore, sequestratrice誘かい者유괴범pagrobėjas(bērnu) nolaupītājspenculikontvoerderkidnapperporywaczraptorrăpitorпохитительúnoscaugrabiteljkidnaperkidnappareคนลักพาตัวadam kaçıran綁架者викрадач дітей, людейاغوا کرنے والا شخصkẻ bắt cóc绑架者