hostage
To give as a hostage toTo give (someone or something) as a hostage to (someone or something else).
» The hostages will be released before Christmas.
Die Geiseln werden vor Weihnachten freikommen.
Заложники будут освобождены перед Рождеством.
Заручники будуть звільнені перед Різдвом.
Meaning
2 senses(nonstandard, possibly)To give (someone or something) as a hostage to (someone or something else).
(nonstandard, possibly)To hold (someone or something) hostage, especially in a way that constrains or controls the person or thing held, or in order to exchange for something else.
Examples
168 sentencesThe hostages will be released before Christmas.
Заручники будуть звільнені перед Різдвом. — shanghainese
ruЗаложники будут освобождены перед Рождеством. — shanghainese
deDie Geiseln werden vor Weihnachten freikommen. — Esperantostern
The criminal didn't let the hostages go.
Злочинець не відпустив заручників. — deniko
ruПреступник не отпустил заложников. — odexed
deDer Verbrecher ließ die Geiseln nicht frei. — Manfredo
Tom was held hostage.
Тома утримували в якості заручника. — deniko
ruТома держали в заложниках. — marafon
deTom wurde als Geisel gehalten. — Rekholder
They've got a hostage.
У них є заручник. — deniko
I was held hostage.
Мене тримали у заручниках. — deniko
ruМеня держали в заложниках. — marafon
Origin
From Middle English hostage, ostage, from Old French hostage, ostage. This, in turn, is eiFrom Middle English hostage, ostage, from Old French hostage, ostage. This, in turn, is either from Old French hoste (“host”) + -age (in which case the sense development is from taking someone into "lodging" to taking them into "captivity", to applying the term to a captive), or is from Vulgar Latin obsidāticum (“condition of being held captive”), from Latin obses (“hostage, captive”), with the initial h- added under the influence of hoste or another word. Displaced native Old English ġīsl.
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Forms
hostages, hostaging, hostaged, hostagedLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle
Collocations
6 patterns- being held hostage
- held hostage
- wasn't taken hostage
- of the hostages
- the hostages were
- taken hostage