The kidnappers held me for ransom, but no one would pay.
•We will hold Timmy for ransom and hope that the police don't find us.
Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.
hold someone/something at ransom — hold someone/something at (or for) ransom hold someone prisoner and demand payment for their release ■ demand concessions from a person or organization by threatening damaging action … Useful english dictionary
ransom — ran|som1 [ rænsəm ] noun count or uncount the amount of money someone wants to be paid before they will let a person they are keeping as a prisoner go free: Her parents received a ransom note. Her kidnappers are demanding a $5 million ransom.… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
hold — I [[t]ho͟ʊld[/t]] PHYSICALLY TOUCHING, SUPPORTING, OR CONTAINING ♦ holds, holding, held 1) VERB When you hold something, you carry or support it, using your hands or your arms. [V n prep/adv] Hold the knife at an angle... [V n] She is holding her … English dictionary
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… … Dictionary of contemporary English
ransom — noun a sum of money demanded or paid for the release of a captive. verb obtain the release of (someone) by paying a ransom. ↘hold (someone) captive and demand a ransom for their release. ↘release after receiving a ransom. Phrases hold someone to… … English new terms dictionary
hold to ransom — ► hold to ransom 1) hold (someone) captive and demand payment for release. 2) demand concessions from (someone) by threatening damaging action. Main Entry: ↑ransom … English terms dictionary
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… … English 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 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 — /ˈrænsəm / (say ransuhm) noun 1. the redemption of a prisoner, slave, kidnapped person, captured goods, etc., for a price. 2. the sum or price paid or demanded. 3. a means of delivering or rescuing, especially, in religious use, from sin and its… …
List of The Dukes of Hazzard episodes — This is a list of episodes for the 1979 1985 CBS action comedy adventure series, The Dukes of Hazzard. Contents 1 Season 1 (1979) 13 episodes 2 Season 2 (1979 1980) 23 episodes 3 Season 3 (1980 1981) 22 episodes … Wikipedia
