| Hostage (n.) A person given as a pledge or security for the performance of the conditions of a treaty or stipulations of any kind, on the performance of which the person is to be released. Thesaurus Entries bail, bond, captive, earnest, earnest money, escrow, gage, guaranty, handsel, hock, mainprise, pawn, pignus, pledge, prisoner, recognizance, replevin, replevy, security, surety, token, token payment, undertaking, vadimonium, vadium |