Other forms: ransoms
A ransom is the money demanded for returning a kidnapped person. Pay the ransom, a ransom demand, held to ransom.
Several governments refuse to pay on the argument that paying funds the next kidnapping, and the argument is genuinely hard. Held to ransom is used figuratively of any hostage-taking of a process. Ransomware encrypts files and demands payment. Note that ransom and redemption are the same Latin word.
1nounransomMoney demanded for returning a kidnapped person.
“The kidnappers demanded a huge ransom for the businessman's son.”
ransom is a payment.
Old French raencon comes from Latin redemptio, a buying back. Redemption is the same word arriving separately.
Middle English
raunsoun
English, today
ransom
From Middle English raunsoun. From the Middle English raunsoun, from the Old French raençon, from stem of Latin redēmptiō. Entered English ca. the 13th century. a doublet of redemption.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Crime & Law