/ ˈrænsəm; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
[ C , U ] money that is paid to sb so that they will set free a person who is being kept as a prisoner by them :
The kidnappers demanded a ransom of £50 000 from his family.
a ransom demand / note
ransom money
They are refusing to pay ransom for her release.
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IDIOMS
- hold sb to ransom
—more at king
■ verb
[ vn ] to pay money to sb so that they will set free the person that they are keeping as a prisoner :
The kidnapped children were all ransomed and returned home unharmed.
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French ransoun (noun), ransouner (verb), from Latin redemptio(n-) ransoming, releasing, from redimere buy back, from re- back + emere buy. Early use also occurred in theological contexts expressing deliverance and atonement .