Ransom
Meaning of Ransom
Money demanded for the release of a captive; to pay for such a release.
ما معنى كلمة Ransom بالعربي؟
مبلغ مالي مطلوب لتحرير رهينة
💰🔒 مبلغ مالي مطلوب لتحرير رهينة؛ فدية تُدفع لاستعادة شخص أو شيء؛ عملية ابتزاز مالي مقابل الإفراج عن شخص مختطف أو إعادة ممتلكات مسروقة 💰🔒
قصة GL: الفدية المالية تُحارب بالوعي والحذر - فدية تُدفع لاستعادة شخص خطيرة، عملية الابتزاز التي يحمي منها التعلم الجيني بتطوير الوعي الأمني 🛡️
Synonyms & related words
Ransom in a sentence
Ransom cases were analysed in the crime-psychology review.
A ransom demand hit the firm's servers.
Paying a ransom may breach sanctions law.
Students read about a ransom in a historical tale.
Origin of Ransom
From Old French rançon, from Latin redemptio 'buying back'.
In the Genetic Learning (GL) context
In Genetic Learning work led by Naif Talal Al-Essa, ransom is extortion. GL security planning teaches never to pay a ransom without legal advice.
Ransom audio micro-course (transcript)
Podcast 1 — Introduction & meaning
Narrator: Today's word is "Ransom" — noun, pronounced /ˈrænsəm/, with the stress on "ran".
Narrator: A ransom is money demanded in exchange for releasing a person who is being held captive.
Narrator: In plain English, a ransom is the payment kidnappers ask for before they let someone go.
Narrator: It comes from the Old French rançon, from the Latin redemptio, meaning buying back.
Narrator: "To pay a ransom" describes handing over money to free a hostage.
Narrator: It differs from bribe because a ransom frees a captive, whereas a bribe buys a favour.
Narrator: "To hold someone to ransom" is a figurative sense meaning to force demands by threatening harm.
Narrator: Law, crime, history, cybersecurity and journalism all rely on the word ransom.
Narrator: So remember: a ransom is payment to free a captive, from the Latin for buying back.
Read podcasts 2 and 3
Podcast 2 — In conversation
Speaker A: Where does ransom come from?
Speaker B: Buying back! RANSOM comes from the Old French rançon, from the Latin redemptio, redemption, so it's money paid to release a captive.
Speaker A: So it's linked to redemption?
Speaker B: Exactly — the same Latin root!
Speaker A: Example sentences?
Speaker B: "They demanded a ransom"; "a ransom note"; "the union held the city to ransom" — a crime, a letter and a figure of speech.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: Say hold to ransom in British English, while Americans usually say hold for ransom.
Speaker A: Close relatives?
Speaker B: "Payoff" the informal cousin, "extortion" the criminal twin, "redemption" the historical alternative. The word keeps its tense charm!
Podcast 3 — Prompt engineering
Speaker B: Let's use "ransom" in AI prompts — useful for crime-news tools and security training.
Speaker A: So a prompt could frame a news item?
Speaker B: Right. For a news app, you'd write:
Prompt: Write a short news summary of a kidnapping resolved without paying a ransom, naming one police tactic.
Speaker A: How about a history tool?
Speaker B: Ask the model to tell a story:
Prompt: Draft a paragraph on the ransom paid for King Richard the Lionheart, naming the sum and one consequence.
Speaker A: Could it help with a training bot?
Speaker B: Yes, you can frame guidance:
Prompt: Summarise in two sentences why governments often refuse to pay a ransom, naming one policy reason.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: For a fiction chatbot, try this:
Prompt: Write a short thriller opening with a ransom note, naming one clue in the handwriting.
Frequently asked questions about Ransom
What does Ransom mean?
Money demanded for the release of a captive; to pay for such a release.
ما معنى كلمة Ransom بالعربي؟
مبلغ مالي مطلوب لتحرير رهينة — 💰🔒 مبلغ مالي مطلوب لتحرير رهينة؛ فدية تُدفع لاستعادة شخص أو شيء؛ عملية ابتزاز مالي مقابل الإفراج عن شخص مختطف أو إعادة ممتلكات مسروقة 💰🔒
How do you pronounce Ransom?
Ransom is pronounced /ˈrænsəm/ and is used as a noun / verb.
How is Ransom used in a sentence?
Ransom cases were analysed in the crime-psychology review.
What are synonyms of Ransom?
payment for release, price, redemption, demand, buy back, ransom fee.