See hold hostage in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
{
"forms": [
{
"form": "holds hostage",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "holding hostage",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "held hostage",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "held hostage",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "hold<,,held> hostage"
},
"expansion": "hold hostage (third-person singular simple present holds hostage, present participle holding hostage, simple past and past participle held hostage)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"related": [
{
"_dis1": "31 31 31 8",
"word": "take hostage"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"glosses": [
"To hold as hostage.",
"To have possession or custody of (a person) as security for performance against a treaty, a pledge, or a demand, especially now an extra-legal demand."
],
"id": "en-hold_hostage-en-verb-bx9ADA1~",
"links": [
[
"custody",
"custody"
],
[
"security",
"security"
],
[
"performance",
"performance"
],
[
"treaty",
"treaty"
],
[
"pledge",
"pledge"
],
[
"demand",
"demand"
]
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1996, Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates […] :",
"text": "Mr. President, when someone holds up this bill and holds it hostage, it is holding hostage the money that would go to aid victims of disaster.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2012, Andrew Clyde Little, Wheeler's Wake Volume II: A Biographical Novel, volume 2, page 189:",
"text": "Plans for the resumption of her nursery school were put on hold, held hostage by the polio epidemic.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To hold as hostage.",
"To seek advantage in a situation by threatening the well-being or success of (a person or thing not directly involved in the situation)."
],
"id": "en-hold_hostage-en-verb-0OQx8Eoc"
},
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Computer science",
"orig": "en:Computer science",
"parents": [
"Computing",
"Sciences",
"Technology",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
"source": "w"
},
{
"_dis": "10 24 39 27",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "14 16 44 27",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Entries with translation boxes",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "14 18 49 20",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 1 entry",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "8 9 53 30",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "18 18 47 18",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "11 16 50 24",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with German translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "10 15 51 24",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Russian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Before Frank could turn in his final exam, Jigsaw held his computer hostage.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To hold as hostage.",
"To sabotage (a computer) with intent to blackmail the owner."
],
"id": "en-hold_hostage-en-verb-Ytb-R5uB",
"links": [
[
"computer science",
"computer science"
],
[
"hacker",
"hacker"
],
[
"malware",
"malware"
],
[
"sabotage",
"sabotage"
],
[
"blackmail",
"blackmail"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"To hold as hostage.",
"(computer science, of a hacker or malware) To sabotage (a computer) with intent to blackmail the owner."
],
"raw_tags": [
"of a hacker or malware"
],
"topics": [
"computer",
"computing",
"engineering",
"mathematics",
"natural-sciences",
"physical-sciences",
"science",
"sciences"
]
},
{
"categories": [],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "2009, Brian R. Johnson, Brian Kingshott, Safe Overseas Travel: Maximizing Enjoyment by Minimizing Risk:",
"text": "That way, a taxidriver cannot hold the traveler's luggage hostage in the trunk for more money.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To hold in custody or use for any advantage."
],
"id": "en-hold_hostage-en-verb-rHQhVob0"
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-hold hostage.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/64/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-hold_hostage.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-hold_hostage.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/64/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-hold_hostage.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-hold_hostage.wav.ogg"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "8 15 40 38",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "Translations",
"word": "pitää panttivankina"
},
{
"_dis1": "8 15 40 38",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "Translations",
"word": "als Geisel halten"
},
{
"_dis1": "8 15 40 38",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "Translations",
"word": "in Geiselhaft halten"
},
{
"_dis1": "8 15 40 38",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "Translations",
"word": "gefangen halten"
},
{
"_dis1": "8 15 40 38",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "bratʹ v založniki",
"sense": "Translations",
"word": "брать в заложники"
},
{
"_dis1": "8 15 40 38",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "vzjatʹ v založniki",
"sense": "Translations",
"word": "взять в заложники"
}
],
"word": "hold hostage"
}
{
"categories": [
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English multiword terms",
"English verbs",
"Entries with translation boxes",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Terms with Finnish translations",
"Terms with German translations",
"Terms with Russian translations",
"Translation table header lacks gloss"
],
"forms": [
{
"form": "holds hostage",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "holding hostage",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "held hostage",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "held hostage",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "hold<,,held> hostage"
},
"expansion": "hold hostage (third-person singular simple present holds hostage, present participle holding hostage, simple past and past participle held hostage)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"related": [
{
"word": "take hostage"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"glosses": [
"To hold as hostage.",
"To have possession or custody of (a person) as security for performance against a treaty, a pledge, or a demand, especially now an extra-legal demand."
],
"links": [
[
"custody",
"custody"
],
[
"security",
"security"
],
[
"performance",
"performance"
],
[
"treaty",
"treaty"
],
[
"pledge",
"pledge"
],
[
"demand",
"demand"
]
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1996, Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates […] :",
"text": "Mr. President, when someone holds up this bill and holds it hostage, it is holding hostage the money that would go to aid victims of disaster.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2012, Andrew Clyde Little, Wheeler's Wake Volume II: A Biographical Novel, volume 2, page 189:",
"text": "Plans for the resumption of her nursery school were put on hold, held hostage by the polio epidemic.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To hold as hostage.",
"To seek advantage in a situation by threatening the well-being or success of (a person or thing not directly involved in the situation)."
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with usage examples",
"en:Computer science"
],
"examples": [
{
"text": "Before Frank could turn in his final exam, Jigsaw held his computer hostage.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To hold as hostage.",
"To sabotage (a computer) with intent to blackmail the owner."
],
"links": [
[
"computer science",
"computer science"
],
[
"hacker",
"hacker"
],
[
"malware",
"malware"
],
[
"sabotage",
"sabotage"
],
[
"blackmail",
"blackmail"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"To hold as hostage.",
"(computer science, of a hacker or malware) To sabotage (a computer) with intent to blackmail the owner."
],
"raw_tags": [
"of a hacker or malware"
],
"topics": [
"computer",
"computing",
"engineering",
"mathematics",
"natural-sciences",
"physical-sciences",
"science",
"sciences"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "2009, Brian R. Johnson, Brian Kingshott, Safe Overseas Travel: Maximizing Enjoyment by Minimizing Risk:",
"text": "That way, a taxidriver cannot hold the traveler's luggage hostage in the trunk for more money.",
"type": "quote"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To hold in custody or use for any advantage."
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-hold hostage.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/64/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-hold_hostage.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-hold_hostage.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/64/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-hold_hostage.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-hold_hostage.wav.ogg"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "Translations",
"word": "pitää panttivankina"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "Translations",
"word": "als Geisel halten"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "Translations",
"word": "in Geiselhaft halten"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "Translations",
"word": "gefangen halten"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "bratʹ v založniki",
"sense": "Translations",
"word": "брать в заложники"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "vzjatʹ v založniki",
"sense": "Translations",
"word": "взять в заложники"
}
],
"word": "hold hostage"
}
Download raw JSONL data for hold hostage meaning in English (4.2kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-31 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-01-20 using wiktextract (bcd5c38 and 9dbd323). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.