▪ I. ransom, n.
(ˈrænsəm)
Forms: α. 3–4 ransun, (4 -coun, -cun-e, -scun, -scon), 4–6 ransoun, 4–7 ranson, (5, 7 -sone); 4 raunsun, (-scun, -ceoun, -zoun, etc.), 4–5 raunson, -soun (also 4 ron-, 5 rawn-, rawun-, etc.). β. 4 rans(o)um, -scum, -scome, 6–7 ransome, (7 randsom), 4– ransom, (4 rauns(o)um, 4–6 rawnsom-e, 4–6 raunsom, 6 -some, raundsom, -sum). γ. 4 raymson, 4–5 raumso(u)n, 4–6 ramson. δ. 5 raen-, reanson, reaunceoune.
[a. OF. ran{cced}on, ran-, raunson, raen{cced}on, -son, ra(a)nceun, ramp{cced}on, etc. (see Godef.):—*re(d)emp{cced}on:—L. redemptiōn-em: see redemption. For the change of -on to -om, which appears quite early, cf. randon, random.]
1. The action of procuring the release of a prisoner or captive by paying a certain sum, or of obtaining one's own freedom in this way; the fact or possibility of being set free on this condition; the paying of money to this end.
In older use freq. in phrases † to make ransom, † to let or take to ransom. In the 19th c. the sense appears to have been revived by Scott, and now occurs chiefly in the phr. to hold to ransom.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 9772 (Cott.) Angel ne might wit na resun Mak for adam his ranscun [Gött. raunsum]. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 2834 ‘In helle’, he says, ‘es na raunceon’. For na helpe may be in þat dungeon. 1375 Barbour Bruce xiii. 72 Slayand thame without ransoune. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 102 Whan he for man the raunsom on hym tooke. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 60 Four consules, the quhilkis the inymyes wald nocht lat to ransoun. c 1489 Caxton Blanchardyn 89 He wolde take to raenson þe knyght that was a straunger. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 295 They slue many a man that could not come to raunsome. 1819 Scott Ivanhoe xxvii, An honourable imprisonment..as is due to one who is in treaty for ransom. Ibid. xxxii, Let us put the Jew to ransom. 1859 Jephson Brittany xvi. 261 Gwesklen, taken prisoner by Chandos, was held by him to ransom. |
2. a. The sum or price paid or demanded for the release of a prisoner or the restoration of captured property.
a king's ransom, a large sum.
† man of ransom, one able to pay ransom, or for whom ransom will be paid.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 124 A mon þet leie ine prisune, & ouhte muche raunsun. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 6046 Þis folc bisette kaunterbury..& gret raunson of hom wiþinne esste. c 1350 Will. Palerne 1251 Y am prest as þi prisoun to paye þe my ransum. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 220 A gaz made gret beheste Of rancoun which he wolde yive. c 1470 Henry Wallace ii. 150 His kyn mycht nocht him get..Mycht thai hawe payit the ransoune of a King. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 163 b, Thei had been leat..without any peny of raunsome paiyng to escape. c 1590 Marlowe Faust. vi, I'll not speak another word for a King's ransom. 1636 Massinger Bashf. Lover ii. vii, I know him: he's a man of ransom. 1697 W. Dampier Voy. (1729) I. 145 Here we staid till the sixth day, in hopes to get a Ransom for the Town. 1718 Lady M. W. Montagu Lett. (1887) I. 239 Her brother..sent the sum of four thousand pounds sterling as a ransom for his sister. 1802 M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. 208 Like all..prisoners of war, she must..pay her ransom in gold. 1829 A. M. Hall Sketches Irish Char. I. 75, I couldn't look upon the babby's face for a king's ransom. 1882 Ouida Maremma I. 11 The stranger had been waiting for a ransom to be sent. |
b. fig., in religious use, of Christ or His blood.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 21731 On cros godd boght ur saul liues Þar-on he gaf him-seluen ranscun. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 290 b/2, O crosse..which only were worthy to bere the raunson of the world. a 1569 A. Kingsmill Confl. Satan (1578) 37 Looke, Christe is called a ransome, that is, a price of redemption. 1667 Milton P.L. x. 61 Sending thee..his Mediator..Both Ransom and Redeemer voluntarie. a 1711 Ken Christophil Poet. Wks. 1721 I. 511 A Price inestimable paid, The Blood of God our Ransom made. a 1854 H. Reed Lect. Eng. Lit. vii. (1878) 236 A soul..not unworthy the awful ransom of the Redeemer's blood. |
† c. A large sum.
Obs. rare—1.
| a 1400–50 Alexander 1665 Besands to þe bischop he bed out of nounbre, Reches him of rede gold ransons many. |
d. Sc. An exorbitant price, rent, etc.
| 1816 Scott Antiquary I. iii. 59 Could a copy [of Caxton's ‘Game of Chess’] now occur..Lord only knows what would be its ransom. 1824–7 Moir Mansie Wauch i, Grannie..sold the milk..at the ransom of a ha'penny the mutchkin. 1875 W. Alexander Sk. Life among my Ain Folk viii. 133 Some said Sandy Mutch had taken the farm ‘at a ransom’. 1932 A. J. Cronin Three Loves ii. xviii. 352 But the price of things... It's shameful. Everything a ransom now. |
† e. The thing ransomed.
Obs. rare—1.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 28023 Fra godd his ful dere ranscon yee stele, Þat es þat ilk saul þat he Cost wit his ded. |
† 3. a. The action or means of freeing oneself from a penalty; a sum of money paid to obtain pardon for an offence; a fine, mulct.
Obs.| a 1300 Cursor M. 1970 Qua þat slas or man or wijf þar gas na ransun bot liue for lijf. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 329 Som gaf raunson after þer trespas. c 1386 Chaucer Wife's Prol. 411, I wolde no lenger in the bed abyde... Til he had maad his raunson vn to me. 1491 Act 7 Hen. VII, c. 22 §1 To abyde in prisone therfor unto the tyme he have made fyne and raunsom for the same. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 42 Pardons payeth most properly the raunsom of payne due in purgatory. c 1585 Faire Em iii. 768 Thy death should pay the ransom of thy fault. 1647 N. Bacon Disc. Govt. i. xxxix. (1739) 59 Then might that Penance be reduced to a Ransom (according to the grain of the offence). 1769 Blackstone Comm. IV. 373 This is the reason why fines in the king's court are frequently denominated ransoms. |
† b. A sum paid as a tax or tribute.
Obs.| c 1320 Sir Tristr. 935 Mani man wepen sare For ransoum to yrland. Marke schuld ȝeld..þre hundred pounde of gold. a 1327 Poem Time Edw. II 302 in Pol. Songs (Camden) 337 If the King in his lond maketh a taxacioun, And everi man is i-set to a certein raunzoun. |
4. A ransom bill or bond (see 5 b).
| 1747 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. V. 75 The St. Christopher arrived, whose Crew..had taken and dismissed on a Ransome for Four thousand Dollars an English Frigate. |
5. attrib. and
Comb., as
ransom-free adj.;
ransom demand,
ransom-gift,
ransom-gold,
ransom-money,
ransom package,
ransom-payer,
ransom-price,
ransom purchase.
| 1976 R. L. Boyer Giant Rat of Sumatra (1977) x. 150 None of the staff..were aware of the *ransom demand. |
| c 1560 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) xxxvi. 76 Thy haly grave, Quhilk makis ws *ransome fre. 1715 Tickell Homer 8 Till Ransom-free the Damsel is bestow'd. |
| 1848 Buckley Iliad 107 My sire will bestow on thee countless *ransom-gifts. |
| 1815 Scott Ld. of Isles v. xxiv, He proffer'd *ransom-gold to pay. |
| 1722 De Foe Col. Jack (1840) 198 We bilked the captain of his *ransom money. 1848 Buckley Iliad 351 Two men contended for the ransom-money of a slain man. 1969 B. Malamud Pictures of Fidelman iii. 69 The insurance company..would at once kick in with the ransom money. 1976 T. Heald Let Sleeping Dogs Die vii. 130 These particular villains were interested in ransom money, not selling. |
| 1974 Aiken (S. Carolina) Standard 24 Apr. 5-a/3 Police said a dummy *ransom package with a note asking the alleged abductors for more time was delivered according to the instructions Dantzler said his kidnapers had given him. |
| 1645 Rutherford Tryal & Tri. Faith (1845) 186 You shame the glory of the *ransom-payer. |
| 1872 J. H. Ingraham Pillar of Fire 329 The King may be redeemed..with a vast *ransom-price. |
| 1865 Bushnell Vicar. Sacr. v. (1868) 113 To be the *ransom purchase of others. |
b. ransom-bill,
-bond, an engagement to redeem or pay ransom, in later use
esp. for a vessel captured by the enemy;
ransom note, a letter sent by a kidnapper or kidnappers to interested parties demanding ransom money or other satisfaction, and specifying the consequences should this not be forthcoming.
| 1575 Churchyard Chippes (1817) 7 Releasing many of his fellow-captives, on his own ransom-bond. 1764 Ann. Reg. 138 The ransom bills for preserving Manilla from pillage. 1767 Blackstone Comm. III. 436 The privileges of embassadors, hostages, or ransom-bills. 1896 Daily News 29 Feb. 6/2 The Alabama burned fifty-seven ships besides releasing on ransom-bond a great many with neutral cargo on board. 1935 M. M. Atwater Murder in Midsummer xiv. 135 Maybe it's a kidnapping, but there's no ransom notes. 1975 D. Pitts This City is Ours viii. 28 That ship might explode if it's tampered with. That's what the ransom note says, and I believe it. |
▪ II. ransom, v. (
ˈrænsəm)
Forms: see the
n. (also 4
raunsene, 5
rampsoum, 6
ramsion,
Sc. ransson;
pa. tense 4
raunsede).
[a. OF. ransonner, -{cced}onner, etc. f. ranson: see prec.] 1. trans. To redeem (from captivity or punishment); to procure the release of (a person) or restoration of (a thing) by payment of the sum or price demanded. Also
fig.| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. x. 420 A robbere was yraunceouned, rather than thei alle. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VI. 211 Withbrandes kyng of Longobardes..raunsoned [v.r. raunsede] þe relikes of seint Austyn. c 1470 Henry Wallace viii. 452 Quha ȝeildis him, sall neuir ransownd be. 1513 Galway Arch. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. V. 395 That no dweller of this towne become suertie for no gent of the countrey, ne ramson none of them. 1624 Capt. Smith Virginia vi. 215 Their Canowes..they ransomed for Beuer skinnes. 1667 Sprat Hist. R. Soc. 434 To randsome the minds of all mankind from Slavery. 1839 Thirlwall Greece VI. 73 They were obliged to ransom not only their prisoners but their dead. 1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) II. viii. 280 His wife ransomed him at a heavy price. |
b. To redeem, deliver, in religious sense.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 9784 If godd had wroght anoþer man For to ransun wit adam. 1414 Brampton Penit. Ps. (Percy Soc.) 28 Cryist, that deyid up on the rood, To raunsoun synfull creature. 1557 N. T. (Genev.) Epistle **j, He was solde to ransom vs. 1667 Milton P.L. iii. 297 His Brethren, ransomd with his own dear life. 1784 Cowper Tiroc. 128 We..learn with wonder how this world began, Who made, who marr'd, and who has ransom'd man. 1859 Tennyson Guinevere 677 Poor sick people, richer in His eyes Who ransom'd us..than I. |
c. To purchase (life or liberty) by a ransom.
| 1630 Dekker 2nd Pt. Honest Wh. Wks. 1873 II. 170 If my life May ransome thine, I yeeld it to the Law. 1697 W. Dampier Voy. (1729) I. 75 The Men..made them send ashoar for Cattle to ransom their Liberties. 1801 Lusignan III. 82 The design she had long meditated..of endeavouring to ransom his liberty. |
d. To atone or pay for, to expiate;
† to procure respite of (time); to bring
into by ransoming.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 14427 Þat he suld flexs take..For to ranscun wit adam sin. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxxiii. (George) 77 To ransone þe tyme & to sauf þame fra his venyme. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. xxxiv, Those tears..are rich and ransom all ill deeds. 1604 ― Oth. iii. iv. 118 Nor my Seruice past, nor present Sorrowes,..Can ransome me into his loue againe. 1796 Jefferson Writ. (1859) IV. 152 Its moments of extasy would be ransomed by years of torment and hatred. |
2. a. To permit to be ransomed; to admit to ransom; to set free on payment of a sum of money;
† to fix one's ransom
at a certain sum.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce ii. 466 Off othir, that war takyn than, Sum thai ransownyt, sum thai slew. 1442 in Proc. King's Council Irel. (Rolls) 274 He..put him in great duresse of prisoun, and rampsoumed him at c. marcs. 1494 Fabyan Chron. vii. 348 That he were streyght put in pryson, and not to be raunsomyd nor delyuered tyll the Kyngys pleasure were forther knowen. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 228 Stewin Bull ranssonat the skiparis, and held money of the marienaris presonaris. 1599 Breton Will of Wit iii. i. Wks. (Grosart) 37/2 The souldiours entred, slewe a number, some they raunsommed. 1819 Scott Ivanhoe x. Leaving it with your nobleness to retain or to ransom the same, according to your pleasure. |
b. To demand ransom from or for; to exact payment from;
† hence, to oppress with exactions. Also
absol.| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 66 Many..ben dede bi þe weie, what wiþ traueile & cold..& enemyes & ofte raunsonyd. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 100 Why thow has redyne and raymede, and raunsound þe pople. 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 9 Preamble, People..be..caried into Scotland and their raunsomed to ther..utter empoverysshing for ever. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. 3 All suche landes as he had rule of, he raunsomed them..greuously, and wolde taxe the men two or three tymes in a yere. 1590 Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons 7 b, By fleecing and ransoming of their soldiers being men of wealth. 1819 Scott Ivanhoe xix, Who is it that rifle, and ransom, and make prisoners in these parts. 1888 in Times 17 Aug. 7/6 These gentlemen contend that unfortified towns will never be bombarded or ransomed. |
3. To pay ransom to (a person). Also
absol., to pay ransom for oneself.
rare— 1.
| 1722 Capt. Ogle in Lond. Gaz. No. 6091/2 They had all ransomed at the Rate of eight Pounds Weight of Gold each; an English Ship, for refusing to ransom the Pyrates had been burnt. |