About The Word Hostage

Bay Area Crosswords

Learn about the word Hostage to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover Hostage definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.

Hostage

Hostage Meaning & Definition
Hostage Definition And Meaning

What's The Definition Of Hostage?

[n] a prisoner who is held by one party to insure that another party will meet specified terms

Synonyms | Synonyms for Hostage: surety

Related Terms | Find terms related to Hostage: bail | bond | captive | earnest | earnest money | escrow | gage | guaranty | handsel | hock | mainprise | pawn | pignus | pledge | prisoner | recognizance | replevin | replevy | security | surety | token | token payment | undertaking | vadimonium | vadium

See Also | captive | prisoner

Hostage In Webster's Dictionary

\Hos"tage\, n. [OE. hostage, OF. hostage, ostage, F. [^o]tage, LL. hostaticus, ostaticum, for hospitaticum, fr. L. hospes guest, host. The first meaning is, the state of a guest, hospitality; hence, the state of a hostage (treated as a guest); and both these meanings occur in Old French. See {Host} a landlord.] A person given as a pledge or security for the performance of the conditions of a treaty or stipulations of any kind, on the performance of which the person is to be released. Your hostages I have, so have you mine; And we shall talk before we fight. --Shak. He that hath a wife and children hath given hostages to fortune. --Bacon.

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