hostages
hos-tag-es · noun
Definitions
noun
- 1.
Plural of hostage; people seized or held as security for the fulfillment of demands.
- 2.
People who are controlled or constrained by circumstances.
Phrases & expressions
- •release the hostages — To set captives free
- •hostages to fortune — Commitments that may cause future difficulties
Related words
Etymology
Plural of hostage, from Old French ostage, from Late Latin obsidaticum ("the state of being a hostage").