hold to ransom



hold somebody to ransom

to force someone to do something by putting them in a situation where something bad will happen to them if they do not Some people regarded the miners' strike as the union holding the nation to ransom.
See also: hold, ransom

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
RaleighRAW-leeEnglish
UrsulaUR-sə-lə (English), UR-syə-lə (English), OOR-soo-lah (Finnish)English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Late Roman
Savina-Italian
Galchobhar-Ancient Irish
Mas'ud-Arabic, Persian
Anselm['ænselm]