Hostage
English Meaning
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.
- A person held by one party in a conflict as security that specified terms will be met by the opposing party.
- One that serves as security against an implied threat: superpowers held hostage to each other by their nuclear arsenals.
- One that is manipulated by the demands of another: "National policies cannot be made hostage to another country” ( Alan D. Romberg).