hostage

Universal Words noun a person who is captured and held prisoner by a person or group, and who may be injured or killed if people do not do what the person or group is asking: Three children were taken hostage during the bank robbery. * He was held hostage for almost a year. * The government is negotiating the release of the hostages. * The hijackers kept the pilot as a hostage on board the plane. IDIOMS a hostage to fortune something that you have, or have promised to do, that could cause trouble or worry in the future