ransom

Etymology

From the Middle English ransoun, from the Old French raençon, from stem of Latin redemptio. Entered English ca. the 13th century. Doublet of redemption.

noun

1. Money paid for the freeing of a hostage.
   They were held for two million dollars ransom.
   They were held to ransom.
   His captivity in Austria, and the heavy ransom he paid for his liberty. 1612, John Davies, Discoverie of the True Causes why Ireland was never entirely subdued
   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.'” 2010, Caroline Alexander, The War That Killed Achilles: The True Story of Homer's Iliad
2. The release of a captive, or of captured property, by payment of a consideration.
   prisoners hopeless of ransom
   Till the fair slave be rendered to her sire; And ransom-free restored to his abode
3. (historical, law, UK) 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.

verb

1. (obsolete) To deliver, especially in context of sin or relevant penalties.
2. To pay a price to set someone free from captivity or punishment.
   to ransom prisoners from an enemy
3. To exact a ransom (payment) in exchange for the freedom of.
   Terrorists will continue to hold few detainees in undisclosed locations in order to ransom them for money or some other material profit, […] 2017, Bruce Oliver Newsome, James W. Stewart, Aarefah Mosavi, Countering New(est) Terrorism: Hostage-Taking, Kidnapping, and Active Violence — Assessing, Negotiating, and Assaulting, CRC Press