hostage

[/ˈhɒstɪdʒ/]

nounmasculine/femininepl: hostages

refém

1. A person held by one party in a conflict as security for the fulfillment of an agreement, or as leverage to force compliance with demands

The rebels held the diplomats hostage for three days.

Os rebeldes mantiveram os diplomatas como reféns por três dias.

2. A person whose life or safety depends on the actions or decisions of another

She felt like a hostage to circumstances beyond her control.

Ela se sentia como refém de circunstâncias além de seu controle.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Regional Variations

General Brazilian

refém

Standard usage throughout Brazil

Portugal

refém

Standard usage in Portugal

Brazil

reém (archaic)

Older spelling, rarely used in modern Portuguese

take hostage - levar alguém como refém

hold hostage - manter como refém

hostage to fortune - refém da sorte (metaphorical use)

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