ransom
/ˈɹænsəm/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.68 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A sum paid for the pardon of some great offence and the discharge of the offender; also, a fine paid in lieu of corporal punishment.
British usage; Uncountable
verb
To exact a ransom (payment) in exchange for the freedom of.
Example Sentences
- "They were held for two million dollars ransom."
- "They were held to ransom."
- "Thy ransom paid, which man from death redeems."
- "His captivity in Austria, and the heavy ransom he paid for his liberty."
- ""I'll give thee for my ransom the very best harnéss That either young or old in the world doth possess.""
- "As rich as was the ransom Priam paid for Hektor, Hermes says, his remaining sons at Troy “'would give three times as much ransom / for you, who are alive, were Atreus' son Agamemnon / to recognize you.'”"
Etymology
Etymology tree Latin red- Proto-Indo-European *h₁em- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *h₁émeti Proto-Italic *emō Latin emō Latin redimō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin redemptiō Old French raençonbor. Middle English raunsoun English ransom From the Middle English raunsoun, from the Old French raençon, from stem of Latin redēmptiō. Entered English ca. the 13th century. Doublet of redemption.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈɹænsəm/
Usage
- Uncountable
- British usage
- Obsolete
- Countable