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 ｣50000 from his family. * a ransom demand / note * ransom money * They are refusing to pay ransom for her release.
IDIOMS
hold sb to ransom
1 to keep sb as a prisoner and demand that other people pay you an amount of money before you set them free
2 (disapproving) to take action that puts sb in a very difficult situation in order to force them to do what you want
moreatKING
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.
