ransom
ransom — noun
- ransomsingular
- ransomsplural
1. Money that kidnappers demand, or that someone pays, to free a person being held
Money that kidnappers demand, or that someone pays, to free a person being held against their will.
The kidnappers demanded a ransom of two million dollars for the girl's safe return.
ransom of [amount] + for [person]'s release
Aaron's family raised the ransom by selling their house and borrowing from relatives.
raise the ransom
Without calling the police, the father paid the ransom at a nearby café.
The ransom was handed over at a secret meeting point near the river.
Unable to pay the ransom, the family asked the embassy for help.
文法句型
ransom + of + amount + for + person
ransom + for + person
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'pay', 'demand', or 'raise'. The phrase 'hold someone for ransom' is a common fixed expression that also has a metaphorical meaning — to force someone to do something by putting them in a difficult position.
常見錯誤
2. The process of paying a ransom in order to secure a captive person's release fro
The process of paying a ransom in order to secure a captive person's release from captivity.
The ransom of the diplomat from the militant group was completed without violence.
ransom of [person]
Ritu's ransom took several weeks and involved a team of trained negotiators.
possessive + ransom
The family organized the ransom of their father through a trusted local contact.
After the ransom of all twelve hostages, the village held a celebration for their return.
- redemption
broader in scope; can refer to moral, religious, or financial rescue, not just from captivity
- buyout
informal; describes paying to secure someone's release, often in a business or legal context
文法句型
the ransom of + [person]
[possessive] + ransom of + [person]
用法筆記
Less common than sense 1. Typically appears with a possessive noun or an 'of'-phrase identifying the person being freed. More formal in tone and often found in news reporting.
ransom — verb
- ransompresent simple I / you / we / they
- ransoms3rd person singular
- ransoming-ing form
- ransomedpast simple
1. To pay the amount of money demanded so that a person being held prisoner can be
To pay the amount of money demanded so that a person being held prisoner can be set free.
Eve's family managed to ransom her from the kidnappers within a week.
ransom [person] from [captors]
The agency refused to ransom its captured workers, fearing it would encourage more attacks.
refuse to ransom [person]
Selim was ransomed by his employer after six long months in captivity.
Rather than ransoming the hostages, the government chose to negotiate directly with the captors.
Nobody knows how much was paid to ransom the journalist from the rebels.
文法句型
ransom + [person] + from + [captors]
用法筆記
The direct object is always the person being freed, never the money. Saying 'ransom the money' is incorrect. Frequently used in news reports and crime narratives.