Definition
a ransom: a payment, a price to buy someone's freedom (especially a hostage in a kidnapping)
If you ever want to see your wife again you must pay us a ransom of $500,000.
a ransom note: a note or letter informing of a kidnapping with a demand for money
- "You will come alone with the ransom, and no monkey business, if you know what I mean."
- "Rupert : The pirates are demanding a ransom of $2 million for the safe return of the hostages, believed to be a couple in their thirties."
- "I will not pay the ransom."
- "Rebels are demanding $4 billion in ransom and have threatened to remove the hostages' hairs one by one tomorrow morning."
- "Bruno : Well, Dr. Badguy, I don't want to tell you how to do your job, but the basic requirement of any ransom negotiation is that the kidnappers have a hostage."
- "Always scheming and plotting against people, stealing monkeys, writing ransom notes, blackmailing all the time."
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