ransom

ransom
ran|som1 [ˈrænsəm] n
[Date: 1200-1300; : Old French; Origin: rançon, from Latin redemptio; REDEMPTION]
1.) an amount of money that is paid to free someone who is held as a prisoner
The kidnappers were demanding a ransom of $250,000.
The government refused to pay the ransom .
ransom demand/note
There has still been no ransom demand.
He's got the ransom money .
2.) hold sb for ransom also hold sb to ransom BrE
to keep someone prisoner until money is paid
His daughter was kidnapped and held for ransom.
3.) hold sb to ransom
BrE to put someone in a situation where they have no choice and are forced to agree to your demands
He has accused the nurses of holding the government to ransom by threatening to strike.
ransom 2
ransom2 v [T]
to pay an amount of money so that someone who is being held as a prisoner is set free
They were all ransomed and returned unharmed.

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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  • Ransom — is the practice of holding a prisoner to extort money or property to secure their release, or it can refer to the sum of money involved.In early Germanic law a similar concept was called Weregild.In 78 BC, pirates of modern day Turkey captured… …   Wikipedia

  • Ransom — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Brayton Howard Ransom (1879–1925), US amerikanischer Parasitologe Caroline L. Ransom (1872–1952), US amerikanische Archäologin Epaphroditus Ransom (1798–1859), US amerikanischer Politiker John Crowe Ransom …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • ransom — ran·som 1 n: a consideration paid or demanded for the release of someone or something from captivity see also kidnapping ransom 2 vt: to free from captivity by paying a price rape 1 vt raped, rap·ing [Latin rapere to seize and take away by force] …   Law dictionary

  • ransom — ► NOUN ▪ a sum of money demanded or paid for the release of a captive. ► VERB 1) obtain the release of (someone) by paying a ransom. 2) detain (someone) and demand a ransom for their release. ● hold to ransom Cf. ↑hold to ransom ● …   English terms dictionary

  • Ransom — Ran som (r[a^]n s[u^]m), n. [OE. raunson, raunsoun, OF. ran[,c]on, raen[,c]on, raan[,c]on, F. ran[,c]on, fr. L. redemptio, fr. redimere to redeem. See {Redeem}, and cf. {Redemption}.] 1. The release of a captive, or of captured property, by… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Ransom — Ransom, IL U.S. village in Illinois Population (2000): 409 Housing Units (2000): 159 Land area (2000): 0.991359 sq. miles (2.567608 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.991359 sq. miles (2.567608 sq …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Ransom — Ran som, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Ransomed} ( s[u^]md); p. pr. & vb. n. {Ransoming}.] [Cf. F. ran[,c]onner. See {Ransom}, n.] 1. To redeem from captivity, servitude, punishment, or forfeit, by paying a price; to buy out of servitude or penalty; to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Ransom —   [ rænsəm], John Crowe, amerikanischer Schriftsteller und Kritiker, * Pulaski (Tennessee) 30. 4. 1888, ✝ Gambier (Ohio) 3.7. 1974; studierte und lehrte (bis 1937) an der Vanderbilt University (Nashville, Tennessee), wo er zu den wichtigsten… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Ransom, IL — U.S. village in Illinois Population (2000): 409 Housing Units (2000): 159 Land area (2000): 0.991359 sq. miles (2.567608 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.991359 sq. miles (2.567608 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Ransom, KS — U.S. city in Kansas Population (2000): 338 Housing Units (2000): 179 Land area (2000): 0.326169 sq. miles (0.844774 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.326169 sq. miles (0.844774 sq. km) FIPS code …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • RANSOM — (Heb. כֹּפֶר, kofer), the compensation required to avoid bodily punishment or to free one s self from an undesirable state or condition (Isa. 43:3). The term kofer is related to the Akkadian kapāru ( to wipe off ) or kuppuru ( to expiate ). The… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

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