Hostageship

Quick meaning: Hostageship is a noun meaning (law, historical) A condition of being held as surety for a pledge, as to appear before a magistrate for trial after release from gaol.

Meaning

(law, historical) A condition of being held as surety for a pledge, as to appear before a magistrate for trial after release from gaol.

Example Sentences

English, Norman and French tradition seem all to point to an ancient and extremely rigorous form of suretyship or hostageship which would have rendered the surety liable to suffer the punishment that was hanging over the head of the released prisoner.

Word Forms

• hostageships

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include hostage, pawn, custody, gaolership, pledge, suretyship.

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