Kidnapped: meaning, definitions and examples
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kidnapped
[ ˈkɪd.næpt ]
crime context
Kidnapped refers to the unlawful act of taking someone away by force or fraud. It typically involves removals with the intent to hold the victim for ransom or to compel a third party to act. Kidnapping can be executed in various ways, such as abduction or hostage-taking. It is considered a serious crime in most jurisdictions and can result in severe penalties for the perpetrators.
Synonyms
abducted, captured, snatched, taken.
Examples of usage
- The billionaire's son was kidnapped for ransom.
- She was kidnapped during her vacation abroad.
- The authorities successfully rescued the kidnapped child.
Translations
Translations of the word "kidnapped" in other languages:
🇵🇹 sequestrado
🇮🇳 अपहरण किया गया
🇩🇪 entführt
🇮🇩 diculik
🇺🇦 викрадений
🇵🇱 porwany
🇯🇵 誘拐された
🇫🇷 enlevé
🇪🇸 secuestrado
🇹🇷 kaçırılmış
🇰🇷 유괴된
🇸🇦 مخطوف
🇨🇿 unesený
🇸🇰 unesený
🇨🇳 被绑架的
🇸🇮 ugrabljen
🇮🇸 maðurinn sem var rænt
🇰🇿 ұрланған
🇬🇪 გატაცებული
🇦🇿 qaçırılmış
🇲🇽 secuestrado
Etymology
The word 'kidnap' originates from the early 17th century, combining 'kid'—a term for a young goat or child used in North American vernacular—and 'nap', which is a dialect term meaning to seize. The original sense referred to stealing or carrying off children for servitude or sale, particularly in the context of the early American slave trade. Over time, the meaning broadened to encompass any non-consensual act of taking individuals, regardless of age, often for the purpose of extortion or coercion. By the 19th century, the term had solidified its association with criminal acts against individuals, leading to its current use in legal and social contexts to define the act of unlawful restraint or confinement.