/'hɒstɪdʒ; `hɑstɪdʒ/
n
1 person held as a captive by one or more others who threaten to keep, harm or kill him unless certain demands are met 人质
*The hijackers kept the pilot on board the plane as
(a) hostage. 劫机者把飞机驾驶员扣留在飞机上作为人质.
2 (idm 习语) a ,hostage to `fortune (fml 文) person or thing that one acquires and may then suffer by losing, esp a husband or wife or child 希望得到的但需蒙受可能失去之痛苦的人或事物（尤指配偶或子女）. take/hold sb `hostage seize/keep sb as a hostage 抓住[扣押]某人作为人质
*The gunman is holding two children hostage in the building. 持枪歹徒把两个孩子扣押在这座建筑物里当作人质.

n[C]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French;Origin: hoste; HOST¹]
someone who is kept as a prisoner by an enemy so that the other side will do what the enemy demands
→kidnap
　The group are holding two western tourists hostage (=keeping them as hostages) .
　a family taken hostage at gunpoint yesterday
be (a) hostage to sth
to be influenced and controlled by something, so that you are not free to do what you want
　Our country must not be held hostage to our past.
a hostage to fortune
something that you have promised to do which may cause you problems in the future