RANSOM, contracts, war. An agreement made between the commander of a capturing vessel with the commander of a vanquished vessel, at sea, by which the former permits the latter to depart with his vessel, and gives him a safe conduct, in consideration of a sum of money, which the commander of the vanquished vessel, in his own name, and in the name of the owners of his vessel and cargo, promises to pay at a future time named, to the other. 2. This contract is usually made in writing in duplicate, one of which is kept by the vanquished vessel which is its safe conduct; and the other by the conquering vessel, which is properly called ransom bill. 3. This contract, when made in good faith, and not locally prohibited, is valid, and may be enforced. Such contracts have never been prohibited in this country. 1 Kent, Com. 105. In England they are generally forbidden. Chit. Law of Nat. 90 91; Poth. Tr. du Dr. de Propr. n. 127. Vide 2 Bro. Civ. Law, 260; Wesk. 435; 7 Com. Dig. 201; Marsh. Ins. 431; 2 Dall. 15; 15 John. 6; 3 Burr. 1734. The money paid for the redemption of such property is also called the ransom.

Source: Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
 

RANSOM, n. The purchase of that which neither belongs to the seller, nor can belong to the buyer. The most unprofitable of investments.

Source: THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993)
 

Ransom -- U.S. County in North Dakota
Population (2000): 5890
Housing Units (2000): 2604
Land area (2000): 862.747134 sq. miles (2234.504725 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 1.381735 sq. miles (3.578678 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 864.128869 sq. miles (2238.083403 sq. km)
Located within: North Dakota (ND), FIPS 38
Location: 46.478135 N, 97.668528 W
Headwords: Ransom Ransom, ND Ransom County Ransom County, ND

Source: U.S. Gazetteer Counties (2000)
 

Ransom, IL -- U.S. village in Illinois
Population (2000): 409
Housing Units (2000): 159
Land area (2000): 0.991359 sq. miles (2.567608 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 0.991359 sq. miles (2.567608 sq. km)
FIPS code: 62757
Located within: Illinois (IL), FIPS 17
Location: 41.155955 N, 88.653178 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 60470
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords: Ransom, IL Ransom

Source: U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000)
 

Ransom, KS -- U.S. city in Kansas
Population (2000): 338
Housing Units (2000): 179
Land area (2000): 0.326169 sq. miles (0.844774 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 0.326169 sq. miles (0.844774 sq. km)
FIPS code: 58500
Located within: Kansas (KS), FIPS 20
Location: 38.635344 N, 99.932434 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 67572
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords: Ransom, KS Ransom

Source: U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000)
 

Ransom \Ran"som\ (r[a^]n"s[u^]m), n. [OE. raunson, raunsoun, OF. ran[,c]on, raen[,c]on, raan[,c]on, F. ran[,c]on, fr. L. redemptio, fr. redimere to redeem. See Redeem, and cf. Redemption.]

1. The release of a captive, or of captured property, by payment of a consideration; redemption; as, prisoners hopeless of ransom. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

2. The money or price paid for the redemption of a prisoner, or for goods captured by an enemy; payment for freedom from restraint, penalty, or forfeit. [1913 Webster]

Thy ransom paid, which man from death redeems. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

His captivity in Austria, and the heavy ransom he paid for his liberty. --Sir J. Davies. [1913 Webster]

3. (O. Eng. Law) A sum paid for the pardon of some great offense and the discharge of the offender; also, a fine paid in lieu of corporal punishment. --Blackstone. [1913 Webster]

Ransom bill (Law), a war contract, valid by the law of nations, for the ransom of property captured at sea and its safe conduct into port. --Kent. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

Ransom \Ran"som\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ransomed (-s[u^]md); p. pr. & vb. n. Ransoming.]

[Cf. F. ran[,c]onner. See Ransom, n.]

1. To redeem from captivity, servitude, punishment, or forfeit, by paying a price; to buy out of servitude or penalty; to rescue; to deliver; as, to ransom prisoners from an enemy. [1913 Webster]

2. To exact a ransom for, or a payment on. [R.]

[1913 Webster]

Such lands as he had rule of he ransomed them so grievously, and would tax the men two or three times in a year. --Berners. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

60 Moby Thesaurus words for "ransom": buy, deliver, deliverance, delivery, emancipate, extract, extricate, extrication, free, freeing, get back, liberate, liberation, lifesaving, payment, price, recapture, reclaim, reclaiming, reclamation, recoup, recoupment, recover, recovery, recuperate, recuperation, recycle, redeem, redemption, regain, regainment, release, renovate, reoccupation, reoccupy, replevin, replevy, repossess, repossession, rescue, restoration, restore, resume, resumption, retake, retaking, retrieval, retrieve, revindicate, revindication, revival, revive, salvage, salvation, save, saving, set free, take back, trover, win back

Source: Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
 

ransom

Source: WordNet (r) 2.0
 

Ransom \Ran"som\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ransomed; p. pr. & vb. n. Ransoming.]

[Cf. F. ran[,c]onner. See Ransom, n.]

1. To redeem from captivity, servitude, punishment, or forfeit, by paying a price; to buy out of servitude or penalty; to rescue; to deliver; as, to ransom prisoners from an enemy.

2. To exact a ransom for, or a payment on. [R.]

Such lands as he had rule of he ransomed them so grievously, and would tax the men two or three times in a year. --Berners.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Ransom \Ran"som\, n. [OE. raunson, raunsoun, OF. ran[,c]on, raen[,c]on, raan[,c]on, F. ran[,c]on, fr. L. redemptio, fr. redimere to redeem. See Redeem, and cf. Redemption.]

1. The release of a captive, or of captive, or of captured property, by payment of a consideration; redemption; as, prisoners hopeless of ransom. --Dryden.

2. The money or price paid for the redemption of a prisoner, or for goods captured by an enemy; payment for freedom from restraint, penalty, or forfeit.

Thy ransom paid, which man from death redeems. --Milton.

His captivity in Austria, and the heavy ransom he paid for his liberty. --Sir J. Davies/.

3. (O. Eng. Law) A sum paid for the pardon of some great offense and the discharge of the offender; also, a fine paid in lieu of corporal punishment. --Blackstone.

Ransom bill (Law), a war contract, valid by the law of nations, for the ransom of property captured at sea and its safe conduct into port. --Kent.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)