ransom C2+ Topic:War & Conflict US /ˈɹæn.səm/ See IPA manual Freq #5414 Meanings 1 noun Money paid for the freeing of a hostage. They were held for two million dollars ransom. 2 noun The release of a captive, or of captured property, by payment of a consideration. Prisoners hopeless of ransom. 3 noun A sum paid for the pardon of some great offence and the discharge of the offender; also, a fine paid in lieu of corporal punishment. Punished with imprisonment and ransom at the King's will. 4 verb To pay a price to set someone free from captivity or punishment. To ransom prisoners from an enemy. Thesaurus Word family Forms ransomer Derived forms ransomableransomerransomlessransomware Related forms bail Etymology From the Middle English ransoun, from the Old French raençon, from stem of Latin redēmptiō. Entered English ca. the 13th century. Doublet of redemption. Topics War & Conflict External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # ransom **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** noun, verb **IPA (US):** /ˈɹæn.səm/ **Frequency rank:** 5414 ## Meanings 1. Money paid for the freeing of a hostage. 2. The release of a captive, or of captured property, by payment of a consideration. 3. A sum paid for the pardon of some great offence and the discharge of the offender; also, a fine paid in lieu of corporal punishment. 4. To pay a price to set someone free from captivity or punishment. ## Examples - They were held for two million dollars ransom. - Prisoners hopeless of ransom. - Punished with imprisonment and ransom at the King's will. - To ransom prisoners from an enemy. ## Derived Forms - ransomable - ransomer - ransomless - ransomware ## Related Forms - bail ## Etymology From the Middle English ransoun, from the Old French raençon, from stem of Latin redēmptiō. Entered English ca. the 13th century. Doublet of redemption. ## Topics - War & Conflict markdown