Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense kidnaps, present participle kidnapping, past tense, past participle kidnappedregional note: in AM, also use kidnaped, kidnaping
1. verb
To kidnap someone is to take them away illegally and by force, and usually to hold them prisoner in order to demand something from their family, employer, or government.
Police in Brazil uncovered a plot to kidnap him. [VERB noun]
They were intelligent and educated, yet they chose to kidnap and kill. [VERB]
The kidnapped man was said to have been seized by five people. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: abduct, remove, steal, capture More Synonyms of kidnap
Two youngsters have been arrested and charged with kidnapping.
2. variable noun
Kidnap or a kidnap is the crime of taking someone away by force.
Stewart denies attempted murder and kidnap.
He was charged with the kidnap of a 25 year-old woman.
kidnap in British English
(ˈkɪdnæp)
verbWord forms: -naps, -napping, -nappedWord forms: US-naps, -naping or -naped
(transitive)
to carry off and hold (a person), usually for ransom
Derived forms
kidnapper (ˈkidnapper) or US kidnaper (ˈkidnaper)
noun
kidnapping (ˈkidnapping) or US kidnaping (ˈkidnaping)
noun
Word origin
C17: kid1 + obsolete nap to steal; see nab
kidnap in American English
(ˈkɪdˌnæp)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈkidˌnapped or ˈkidˌnaped, ˈkidˌnapping or ˈkidˌnaping
1.
to steal (a child)
2.
to seize and hold or carry off (a person) against that person's will, by force or fraud, often for ransom
Derived forms
kidnapper (ˈkidˌnapper)
noun or ˈkidˌnaper
Word origin
, kid (sense 5) + dial. nap: see nab
Synonyms of 'kidnap'
abduct, remove, steal, capture
More Synonyms of kidnap
In other languages
kidnap
British English: kidnap /ˈkɪdnæp/ VERB
To kidnap someone is to take them away illegally and by force, and usually to hold them prisoner in order to demand something from their family, employer, or government.
Police uncovered a plot to kidnap him.
American English: kidnap
Arabic: يَخْتَطِفُ
Brazilian Portuguese: raptar
Chinese: 绑架
Croatian: oteti
Czech: unést odvléci
Danish: kidnappe
Dutch: ontvoeren
European Spanish: raptar
Finnish: siepata ihminen
French: enlever kidnapping
German: entführen
Greek: απάγω
Italian: sequestrare
Japanese: 誘拐する
Korean: 유괴하다
Norwegian: kidnappe
Polish: porwać
European Portuguese: raptar
Romanian: a răpi
Russian: похищать людей
Latin American Spanish: raptar
Swedish: kidnappa
Thai: ลักพาตัว
Turkish: kaçırmak adam
Ukrainian: викрадати людей
Vietnamese: bắt cóc
Chinese translation of 'kidnap'
kidnap
(ˈkɪdnæp)
vt
绑(綁)架 (bǎngjià)
n(c/u)
绑(綁)架 (bǎngjià) (次, cì)
(verb)
Definition
to capture and hold (a person), usually for ransom
Police uncovered a plot to kidnap him.
Synonyms
abduct
She was charged with abducting a six-month-old child.