hostage

n. 人质, 抵押品
【经】 人质, 抵押品

hos.tage

n.（名词）
A person held by one party in a conflict as security that specified terms will be met by the opposing party.
人质：被冲突一方扣押的人，以作为对方满足其提出的条件的保证
One that serves as security against an implied threat:
制约物：对抗暗藏的威胁事物：
例句：
superpowers held hostage to each other by their nuclear arsenals.
超级大国因各自拥有核工厂而互相制约

One that is manipulated by the demands of another:
被控物：被另一事物的要求所操纵的事物：
例句：
.National policies cannot be made hostage to another country.(Alan D. Romberg)
.一个国家的政策不能被另一个国家所操纵.(艾伦D.龙伯格)


来源：
Middle English
中古英语
from Old French
源自 古法语
probably from host [guest, host] * see host
可能源自 host [客人，主人] *参见 host