HOSTAGE
\hˈɒstɪd͡ʒ], \hˈɒstɪdʒ], \h_ˈɒ_s_t_ɪ_dʒ]\
Definitions of HOSTAGE
- 1910 - Black's Law Dictionary (2nd edition)
- 1856 - A Law Dictionary
- 1908 - Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language
- 1919 - The concise Oxford dictionary of current English
- 1871 - The Cabinet Dictionary of the English Language
- 1790 - A Complete Dictionary of the English Language
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A person who is given into the possession of the enemy, iu a public war,his freedom (or life) to stand as security for the performance of some contract orpromise made by the belligerent power giving the hostage with the other.
By Henry Campbell Black
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A person delivered into the possession of a public enemy in the time of war, as a security for the performance of a contract entered into between the belligerents.
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Hostages are frequently given as a security for the payment of a ransom bill, and if they should die, their death would not discharge the contract. 3 Burr. 1734; 1 Kent, Com. 106; Dane's Ab. Index, h. t.
By John Bouvier
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hos't[=a]j, n. one remaining with the enemy as a pledge for the fulfilment of the conditions of a treaty.--HOSTAGES TO FORTUNE, a man's wife, children, &c. [O. Fr. hostage (Fr. ôtage)--Low L. obsidaticus--L. obses, obsidis, a hostage.]
By Thomas Davidson
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Person given to another as pledge; pledge, security; h. to fortune, person, thing, that one may lose. Hence hostageship n. [old French]
By Sir Augustus Henry
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