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ransom
ransom price of redemption demanded by the captor of a person, vessel, or city. In ancient times cities frequently paid ransom to prevent their plundering by captors. The custom of ransoming was formerly sanctioned by law. Soldiers, given the right to kill or enslave their prisoners, frequently preferred to free them after receiving payment. This mitigated bloodshed, for it was more profitable to hold enemies for ransom than to massacre them. One of the rights of a feudal lord was to call upon his tenants to ransom him if he were captured in battle. The amount of ransom varied with the rank of the captive; a king or a noted warrior brought a great sum. For the payment of the ransom of Richard I (Richard Cœur de Lion) a special tax was levied in England; the French sovereign paid heavy ransoms for Bertrand Du Guesclin ; and Scotland was impoverished in paying for James I . Merchant vessels captured in privateering were sometimes ransomed by their owners. After receiving the ransom, the privateer sometimes furnished a ransom bill, which allowed safe conduct for the ship to one of her native ports. Today the term generally refers to the sum paid to a kidnapper for the release of an individual or to an airplane hijacker for the release of passengers, crew, and plane. |
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"ransom." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ransom." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-ransom.html "ransom." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-ransom.html |
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ransom
ransom The word used in the LXX for the sum of money to secure the liberation of a slave (Lev. 25: 47–55). This is the background for the phrase about Jesus in Mark 10: 45b: ‘the Son of Man came to give his life a ransom for many’. Here the thought extends the preceding sentence (45a) that the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve. The sufferings of this one man are used by God to bring benefit to others: ‘many’ means ‘all’.
In 4 Macc. 17: 2 ff. the Jewish martyrs are said to have become a ransom for the nation's sins: they suffered on behalf of others—but as representatives, not substitutes. The martyrs represented Israel. There is also a recollection in Mark 10: 45 of Daniel 7, where a Son of Man is vindicated and pronounced the victor. But Mark 10: 45b is to be understood in the light of 45a; victory is achieved only after suffering and service. |
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W. R. F. BROWNING. "ransom." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. W. R. F. BROWNING. "ransom." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-ransom.html W. R. F. BROWNING. "ransom." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-ransom.html |
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ransom
ran·som / ˈransəm/ • n. a sum of money or other payment demanded or paid for the release of a prisoner. ∎ the holding or freeing of a prisoner in return for payment of such money: the capture and ransom of the king. • v. [tr.] obtain the release of (a prisoner) by making a payment demanded: the lord was captured in war and had to be ransomed. ∎ hold (a prisoner) and demand payment for their release: mercenaries burned the village and ransomed the inhabitants. ∎ release (a prisoner) after receiving payment. PHRASES: hold someone/something at (or for) ransom hold someone prisoner and demand payment for their release. ∎ demand concessions from a person or organization by threatening damaging action. a king's ransom a huge amount of money; a fortune. |
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"ransom." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ransom." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-ransom005.html "ransom." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-ransom005.html |
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Ransom
Ransom. It is recognized in Judaism that compensation can be paid to avoid punishment, slavery, or death. In ancient Israel, it was common to pay ransom as an alternative to corporal punishment except in the case of murder (Numbers 35. 31–4). The issue of whether a ransom is possible, or whether exact retribution must be made, was disputed between Sadducees (who maintained that no ransom by way of payment is possible) and their opponents (who held that substitution by way of payment is possible except in cases of wilful murder). This means that the remark attributed to Jesus in Mark 10. 45 is more likely to be authentic than not, since there are other instances of Jesus using the current debates to make his own creative interpretation.
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JOHN BOWKER. "Ransom." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN BOWKER. "Ransom." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Ransom.html JOHN BOWKER. "Ransom." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Ransom.html |
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ransom
ransom A sum of money paid for the release of a prisoner or for the restitution of property. The demanding and paying of ransoms formed an accepted part of medieval warfare and diplomacy. Knights who were VASSALS of a lord were obliged to pay for the release of their lord if he was captured in war, although in the late Middle Ages family and friends paid as well as a lord's estate. A suitable ransom would be negotiated and raised to secure eventual release. Needless massacre of prisoners, as after AGINCOURT, aroused resentment among would-be captors. Notable ransom victims include John II of France and RICHARD I of England.
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"ransom." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ransom." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-ransom.html "ransom." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-ransom.html |
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ransom
ransom procuring the release of a prisoner by a payment, sum so paid. XIII. ME. rans(o)un — OF. ransoun, raençon (mod. rançon):- L. redemptiō, -ōn- REDEMPTION.
So ransom vb. XIII. — OF. ransouner (mod. rançonner). |
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T. F. HOAD. "ransom." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "ransom." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ransom.html T. F. HOAD. "ransom." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-ransom.html |
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ransom
ransom •hansom, ransom, Ransome, transom
•Wrexham • sensum • Epsom • jetsam
•lissom • winsome • gypsum • alyssum
•blossom, opossum, possum
•flotsam • awesome • balsam • Folsom
•noisome • twosome
•fulsome • buxom • Hilversum
•irksome • Gresham • meerschaum
•petersham • nasturtium
•atom, Euratom
•factum
•bantam, phantom
•sanctum
•desideratum, erratum, post-partum, stratum
•substratum • rectum • momentum
•septum
•datum, petrolatum, pomatum, Tatum, ultimatum
•arboretum • dictum • symptom
•ad infinitum
•bottom, rock-bottom
•quantum
•autumn, postmortem
•factotum, Gotham, scrotum, teetotum, totem
•sputum
•accustom, custom
•diatom • anthem • Bentham • Botham
•fathom • rhythm • biorhythm
•algorithm • logarithm • sempervivum
•ovum • William
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Cite this article
"ransom." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ransom." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-ransom.html "ransom." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-ransom.html |
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