ransom

ransom
[[t]ræ̱nsəm[/t]]
ransoms, ransoming, ransomed
1) N-VAR A ransom is the money that has to be paid to someone so that they will set free a person they have kidnapped.

Her kidnapper successfully extorted a ₤175,000 ransom for her release...

The president has said the United States will never pay ransom for the hostages...

The ransom demand was made by telephone.

2) VERB If you ransom someone who has been kidnapped, you pay the money to set them free.

[V n] The same system was used for ransoming or exchanging captives.

3) PHRASE: V inflects If a kidnapper is holding someone to ransom or holding them ransom in British English, or is holding a person for ransom in American English, they keep that person prisoner until they are given what they want

He is charged with kidnapping a businessman last year and holding him for ransom...

In Rio, nearly forty people have been held to ransom this year alone...

A bus-load of schoolchildren were held ransom until the gang were given a plane.

4) PHRASE: V inflects (disapproval) If you say that someone is holding you to ransom in British English, or holding you for ransom in American English, you mean that they are using their power to try to force you to do something which you do not want to do.

He said terrorists would not be allowed to hold Britain to ransom.

5) PHRASE: usu v PHR (emphasis) If you refer to a sum of money as a king's ransom, you are emphasizing that it is very large. [OLD-FASHIONED]

...clients happy to pay a king's ransom for a haircut.


English dictionary. 2008.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?
Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • 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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