captive1 adjectivecaptive2 noun
captivecap‧tive1 /ˈkæptɪv/ adjective 
WORD ORIGINcaptive1
Origin:
1400-1500 Latin captivus, from captus, past participle of capere ‘to take’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- the breeding of captive animals
- For that reason, modern nation-states are free to unleash devastating reprisals against their captive nations who attempt liberation.
- Her captive breeding programmes are being attempted.
- Just how essential this help can be was documented over 18 years by a researcher studying these animals in a captive environment.
- Not that socially imposed monogamy need extend to captive slaves.
- The outcome of these behaviours in a captive colony is the formation of one-male groups similar to those found in the wild.
- What white woman, however lonely, was ever captive or insulted by me?
- While the camps remain, the villagers are themselves captive.
Longman Language Activatorto keep someone in a place as a prisoner
to make someone stay in a place and not let them leave, especially as a prisoner: · You can't keep me here against my will - get out of my way.keep somebody in/at etc something: · The guerrillas were keeping the hostages in a camp somewhere in the jungle.· Prisoners were kept in cells with no beds and no running water.
to keep someone somewhere, especially for a short period of time, before deciding what to do with them: · Police are holding two men for questioning in connection with the robbery.· No one knows where the kidnapped woman is being held.hold somebody in/at etc something: · The prisoners were held at Andersonville until more suitable places were found.
to illegally keep someone in a place where they do not want to be, especially as a way of forcing someone to give you money or do what you want: · Police raided the building where rebels were holding 73 government employees captive.hold sb prisoner/captive/hostage in/at etc something: · Four other US citizens are being held hostage by guerrillas in Colombia.· The woman had been held prisoner in Larkin's basement for 3 months.
informal to put someone in a place, especially a prison, and lock it so that they cannot escape: lock somebody up/away: · Didn't they lock his brother away for murder?lock up/away somebody: · The governor argues that locking up criminals has reduced the crime rate.· Prisoners are locked up in their cells for twenty three hours a day.
to keep someone in a room or small place, so that they cannot go where they want to: confine somebody in something: · The boy had been confined in a dark narrow room from early childhood by his parents.confine somebody to something: · The judge is confining the jury to their hotel until after the verdict.
if the police detain someone who they think has done something illegal, they keep them somewhere, usually in order to ask them questions: · Three men from the ship have been detained for questioning by the Harbour Authorities.· The police are now allowed to detain terrorist suspects for as long as a week.
if the police hold or keep someone in custody they keep them in prison until it is time for them to be judged in a court: · McCullough will be kept in custody until her trial on May 3rd.hold/keep somebody in police custody (=in a police station): · A man has been arrested in connection with the murder and is being held in police custody.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
His son had been taken captive (=became a prisoner) during the raid. a pilot who was held captive (=kept as a prisoner) for six yearsCOLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES A senior army officer was held hostage for four months.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN
His son had been taken captive (=became a prisoner) during the raid. a pilot who was held captive (=kept as a prisoner) for six years A senior army officer was held hostage for four months.· Verbal, as opposed to written, reports give you more freedom to exploit your captive audience.· Father Tim saw at once that the truest meaning of the term captive audience was being demonstrated right before his eyes.· He was a real showman, and however he was feeling, he always rose to the bait of a captive audience!· And so when I talk to a young person I have a captive audience.· His family were a captive audience, especially at meal times, which were central to their day.· But beyond the hedge, Mundin had run into a captive audience.· He really loved the hairdressing profession as it gave him a captive audience to bounce his latest jokes off.· It can be said he was addressing a captive audience ... of stooges.
· Her captive breeding programmes are being attempted.· If they die the whole campaign to save the condor by captive breeding could come under renewed attack.· Public aquariums are a good source of information regarding the status of captive breeding of invertebrates.· The scheme will turn the 36-acre Regents Park site into a first-rate animal conservation and captive breeding centre.
· In the past, manufacturers had a captive market.· Philip Leapor did not have a captive market.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1kept in prison or in a place that you are not allowed to leave: - And so when I talk to a young person I have a captive audience.
- But beyond the hedge, Mundin had run into a captive audience.
- Father Tim saw at once that the truest meaning of the term captive audience was being demonstrated right before his eyes.
- He really loved the hairdressing profession as it gave him a captive audience to bounce his latest jokes off.
- He was a real showman, and however he was feeling, he always rose to the bait of a captive audience!
- His family were a captive audience, especially at meal times, which were central to their day.
- It can be said he was addressing a captive audience ... of stooges.
- Verbal, as opposed to written, reports give you more freedom to exploit your captive audience.
- In the past, manufacturers had a captive market.
- Philip Leapor did not have a captive market.
- We want to cooperate with leading manufacturers without being captive to them.
captive soldiers captive animals His son had been taken captive (=became a prisoner) during the raid. a pilot who was held captive (=kept as a prisoner) for six years2captive audience people who listen or watch someone or something because they have to, not because they are interested3captive market the people who must buy a particular product or service, because they need it and there is only one company selling it4be captive to something to be unable to think or speak freely, because of being influenced too much by something: Our communities should not be captive to the mistakes of the past.captive1 adjectivecaptive2 noun
captivecaptive2 noun [countable] EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- All the captives were kept in a darkened room with their hands tied.
- Armed gunmen broke into the church and took the priest captive.
- The rebels promise to release their captives unharmed if their demands are met.
- The rebels promised to release their captives unharmed if the government did as they said.
- Beginners are not captives of their past; they are eager to learn, and able to learn.
- But what pleasure to be left hanging as the sticky captive in the center of the silvery web!
- By night he is a prisoner, the last captive of Tangentopoli.
- Captors and captives stood in dumb impatience for the roll-call to be finished.
- In many different cultures the captives taken in war have tended to be women rather than men.
- They had gone into a huddle, obviously discussing their captives.
- Would he spare the lives of captives?
THESAURUS
someone who is kept in a prison as a punishment for a crime, or while they are waiting for their trial: · Prisoners may be locked in their cells for twenty-two hours a day.· a prisoner serving a life sentence for murder
especially written someone who has been found guilty of a crime and sent to a prison. Convict is used especially about someone who is sent to prison for a long time. It is more commonly used in historical descriptions, or in the phrase an escaped convict: · The convicts were sent from England to Australia.· Police were hunting for an escaped convict.· Low-risk convicts help to fight forest fires and clean up public lands.
someone who is kept in a prison or a mental hospital: · Some inmates are allowed to have special privileges.· He was described by a fellow inmate as a quiet man.
especially literary someone who is kept somewhere and not allowed to go free, especially in a war or fighting. Captive is a rather formal word which is used especially in literature: · Their objective was to disarm the enemy and release the captives.· She was held captive (=kept as a prisoner) in the jungle for over three years.
a soldier, member of the navy etc who is caught by the enemy during a war and kept in the enemy’s country: · My grandad was a prisoner of war in Germany.· They agreed to release two Iranian prisoners of war.
someone who is kept somewhere as a prisoner, in order to force people to agree to do something, for example in order to get money or to achieve a political aim: · Diplomats are continuing their efforts to secure the release of the hostages.· The US hostages were held in Tehran for over a year.
someone who is kept in a prison, usually because of their political views and often without a trial: · In some cases, political detainees have been beaten or mistreated.· 23,531 people passed through the camps between 1944 and 1962, including 14,647 political internees.· the detainees at Guantanamo Bay
Longman Language Activatorsomeone who is forced to stay in a place someone who is kept in a place, especially a prison, as punishment for a crime: · The state now has 152,000 prisoners in 32 prisons.prisoner of war (=someone who is kept prisoner by the enemy during a war): · Her father spent three years as a prisoner of war in Korea.political prisoner (=someone who is in prison because of their political beliefs): · There have been reports of the systematic torture of political prisoners.take somebody prisoner (=make someone your prisoner): · All the soldiers were either killed or taken prisoner.
someone who is kept in a place illegally: · All the captives were kept in a darkened room with their hands tied.· The rebels promise to release their captives unharmed if their demands are met.take somebody captive (=make someone your captive): · Armed gunmen broke into the church and took the priest captive.
someone who is illegally kept in a place by someone who threatens to harm or kill them as a way of making someone else pay money or do what they want: · The group has threatened to kill the hostages unless the government frees 15 political prisoners.· An attempt to rescue the American hostages ended in disaster.take somebody hostage (=make someone your hostage): · The medical team were captured and taken hostage.
someone who is kept in a place when they do not want to be there · My parents were very strict. Sometimes I felt like a prisoner in my own home.· It's a science fiction story about people being taken to another planet as prisoners.hold/keep somebody prisoner · Mann was held prisoner in the back of the Chevrolet and told she was going to be killed.
a soldier etc who is caught by the enemy during a war and kept as a prisoner: · There were general codes covering such matters as the treatment of prisoners of war.· a POW camp
someone who is kept in a place illegally, especially in a war - used especially in literature: · All the captives were kept in a darkened room with their hands tied.· The rebels promised to release their captives unharmed if the government did as they said.
someone who is kept as a prisoner by an enemy country or organization, and is threatened with death or injury if that person's government or organization does not do what the enemy wants: · The terrorists say that they will kill the hostages if we don't agree to their demands.· An attempt to rescue the American hostages ended in disaster when a helicopter crashed.take somebody hostage (=make someone your hostage): · The medical team were captured and taken hostage.hold somebody hostage (=keep someone in a place as your hostage): · A British journalist was held hostage for over four years.
someone who is being kept in a place by the police while they are waiting to go to court, or so that the police can ask them questions about something illegal they may have done: · The government has ordered the trial of all detainees within six months.· According to a recent report, many detainees claim that police have mistreated them.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES A senior army officer was held hostage for four months.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSVERB
someone who is kept as a prisoner, especially in a war A senior army officer was held hostage for four months.· Anyone belonging to these categories who had been taken captive was to be freed.· It was like the first stage of the revolution, i. e., taking the king captive.· They often took captives during their raids, and sometimes raised them in the tribe.