Hold for ransom Meaning in English
expression
释义
To keep someone prisoner and demand money or something else in exchange for their release.
用法与细微差别
Often used in news or crime reporting, especially about kidnappings. Can be literal (actual kidnapping) or figurative, meaning someone or something is being controlled and only released under certain demands (e.g. 'The data was held for ransom by hackers'). Common collocations: 'held for ransom', 'demand ransom', 'pay ransom'.
例句
The robbers held the family for ransom.
basic
Hackers hold files for ransom until you pay them.
basic
Criminals sometimes hold people for ransom in kidnapping cases.
basic
They threatened to hold his pet for ransom unless he paid.
natural
The attackers held the ship for ransom off the coast.
natural
Nobody expected a computer virus could hold important data for ransom.
natural