Captive
['kæptɪv]
Definition
(noun.) an animal that is confined.
(noun.) a person held in the grip of a strong emotion or passion.
(adj.) giving or marked by complete attention to; 'that engrossed look or rapt delight'; 'then wrapped in dreams'; 'so intent on this fantastic...narrative that she hardly stirred'- Walter de la Mare; 'rapt with wonder'; 'wrapped in thought' .
(adj.) being in captivity .
Typed by Judy--From WordNet
Definition
(n.) A prisoner taken by force or stratagem, esp., by an enemy, in war; one kept in bondage or in the power of another.
(n.) One charmed or subdued by beaty, excellence, or affection; one who is captivated.
(a.) Made prisoner, especially in war; held in bondage or in confinement.
(a.) Subdued by love; charmed; captivated.
(a.) Of or pertaining to bondage or confinement; serving to confine; as, captive chains; captive hours.
(v. t.) To take prisoner; to capture.
Editor: Sasha
Synonyms and Synonymous
n. Prisoner.
Checked by Bryant
Definition
n. one taken: a prisoner of war: one kept in bondage.—adj. taken or kept prisoner in war; charmed or subdued by anything.—ns. Cap′tivaunce (Spens.) captivity; Captiv′ity; Cap′tor one who takes a prisoner or a prize; Cap′ture the act of taking: the thing taken: an arrest.—v.t. to take as a prize: to take by force.
Checked by Jacques
Unserious Contents or Definition
To dream that you are a captive, denotes that you may have treachery to deal with, and if you cannot escape, that injury and misfortune will befall you. To dream of taking any one captive, you will join yourself to pursuits and persons of lowest status. For a young woman to dream that she is a captive, denotes that she will have a husband who will be jealous of her confidence in others; or she may be censured for her indiscretion.
Typist: Vern
Examples
- Jaelthe stern woman; sat apart, relenting somewhat over her captive; but more prone to dwell on the faithful expectation of Heber coming home. Charlotte Bronte. Villette.
- She is captive unto those men of Belial, and they will wreak their cruelty upon her, sparing neither for her youth nor her comely favour. Walter Scott. Ivanhoe.
- Her attitude toward the captive was most harsh and brutal. Edgar Rice Burroughs. A Princess of Mars.
- A cable holds the balloon captive. Various. The Wonder Book of Knowledge.
- Again, the dreaded Sunday comes round, and I file into the old pew first, like a guarded captive brought to a condemned service. Charles Dickens. David Copperfield.
- They held the young mill-owner captive, and hardly let the air breathe or the sun shine on him. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- The only light was received through one or two loop-holes far above the reach of the captive's hand. Walter Scott. Ivanhoe.
- The captive staggered toward her and she saw that the liberty he had earned was earned too late. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- Looking round the office, as if her father were a captive and this his cell, Bella hugged him and choked him to her heart's content. Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- As I waited she rose to her full height and looking me straight in the eye said: What would Dotar Sojat, Thark, of Dejah Thoris his captive? Edgar Rice Burroughs. A Princess of Mars.
- The King was at last a captive in the hands of Parliament. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- On regaining the plaza I had my third glimpse of the captive girl. Edgar Rice Burroughs. A Princess of Mars.
- Will the Lady Rowena deign to cast an eye--on a captive knight--on a dishonoured soldier? Walter Scott. Ivanhoe.
- The candle was relit, and there was our wretched captive, shivering and cowering in the grasp of the detective. Arthur Conan Doyle. The Return of Sherlock Holmes.
- As fairly as a captive can strike, said De Bracy, with apparent carelessness; for he whose hands are tied should have his tongue at freedom. Walter Scott. Ivanhoe.
- Many captives were brought to me in this way. Charles Dickens. David Copperfield.
- And treat your women well, for they are with you as captives and prisoners; they have not power over anything as regards themselves. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- For many such purposes gangs of captives were cheaper and far more controllable than levies of the king's own people. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- But later many captives were spared to be slaves because they had exceptional gifts or peculiar arts. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- Her decks were crowded with them as they pressed forward as far as discipline would permit to get a glimpse of their captives. Edgar Rice Burroughs. The Gods of Mars.
- The taste for these combats grew rapidly, and the wars supplied an abundance of captives. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- His daughter put her little prayer-book in her pocket--had she been praying for pity on all prisoners and captives! Charles Dickens. Little Dorrit.
- I have a prize among the captives as lovely as thine own. Walter Scott. Ivanhoe.
- They all, therefore, fell captives into our hands. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
Editor: Rosanne