kidnapping
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: * The crime of taking someone away illegally by force, typically to obtain a ransom or for some other unlawful purpose. It involves seizing and detaining a person against their will.
Usage
"Kidnapping" is used as a countable noun to describe the specific criminal act or instance. * The primary focus is on the illegal seizure and confinement of a person. * It is often associated with demands for money (ransom) or political leverage. * The term implies the victim is held captive, not just briefly taken.
Examples
- The kidnapping of the businessman's son was front-page news.
- She was charged with kidnapping after taking the child across state lines.
- The film is a thriller about a kidnapping that goes terribly wrong.
- He spent five years in prison for his role in the kidnapping.
Advanced Usage
- "Kidnapping for ransom": A specific type of kidnapping where the captors demand payment for the victim's release.
- The police suspected the kidnapping was for ransom.
- In legal contexts, statutes may differentiate between degrees of kidnapping (e.g., first-degree, aggravated) based on factors like the victim's age, intent, or whether a weapon was used.
Variants and Related Words
- Kidnap (verb): To carry out the act of kidnapping.
- The terrorists planned to kidnap the ambassador.
- Kidnapper (noun): A person who kidnaps someone.
- The kidnappers made contact with the family.
Synonyms
- Abduction: Often used interchangeably with kidnapping, though it can have a broader meaning of taking someone away illegally.
- Snatching: Informal, often implying a quick, forceful seizure.
- Hostage-taking: Specifically involves seizing and holding a person to compel a third party to act.
Related Phrases
- To be held for ransom: The state of a kidnapping victim.
- The journalist was held for ransom for over a month.
Noun
- (law) the unlawful act of capturing and carrying away a person against their will and holding them in false imprisonment