一日一词【60】hostage

hostage

hostage是个在新闻报道中常见的名词，意为“人质”。几百年来，hostage的意义略有变化。当初hostage是的一方主支送到对方的担保人，以表示忠于协议。A person given or held as security for the fulfillment of an agreement or as guarantee of one’s good faith. 而现在hostage则仅指恐怖分子为了达到敲诈勒索的目的而绑架扣压的人。Someone who has been captured by another person and who may be killed or injured if people do not do what the person or organization wants.

一般来说，hostage是个可数名词：

An agreement was finally reached that freed the 12 hostages.
释放十二个人质的协议最后终于达成了。

但是在固定词组中，无论人质的数目多少，hostage总是单数，表示作为抵押品的状态：

It is reported that three employees are being held hostage by the robbers.
据报道有三名工作人员被强盗扣为人质。