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- DictionaryCap·tive/ˈkaptiv/
noun
- 1. a person who has been taken prisoner or an animal that has been confined: "the captives were freed after the kidnappers told them a ransom had been paid"
adjective
- 1. imprisoned or confined: "the farm was used to hold prisoners of war captive"
The meaning of CAPTIVE is taken and held as or as if a prisoner of war. How to use captive in a sentence.
a person or animal whose ability to move or act freely is limited by being kept in a space; a prisoner, especially a person held by the enemy during a war: When the town was recaptured, we found soldiers who had been captives for several years. hold/take someone captive.
a person who is enslaved or dominated: He is the captive of his own fears. adjective. made or held prisoner, especially in war: captive troops. kept in confinement or restraint: captive animals. enslaved by love, beauty, etc.; captivated: her captive beau. of or relating to a captive.
A captive is something that has been captured and can’t escape, like a prisoner of war or a panda in a zoo. To be captured on the battlefield, and held captive is not so great, but captive doesn’t always describe things that are completely bad, like its synonym, hostage.
CAPTIVE definition: 1. A captive person or animal is being kept somewhere and is not allowed to leave. 2. a group of…. Learn more.
n. 1. a person or animal that is confined or restrained, esp a prisoner of war. 2. a person whose behaviour is dominated by some emotion: a captive of love. adj. 3. held as prisoner. 4. held under restriction or control; confined: captive water held behind a dam. 5. captivated; enraptured.
A captive person or animal is being kept imprisoned or enclosed. Her heart had begun to pound inside her chest like a captive animal. American English : captive / ˈkæptɪv /
Captive definition: One, such as a prisoner of war, who is forcibly confined, subjugated, or enslaved.
captive. adjective. /ˈkæptɪv/. /ˈkæptɪv/. kept as a prisoner or in a space that you cannot get out of; unable to escape. captive animals. They were taken captive by masked gunmen. captive breeding (= the breeding of wild animals in zoos, etc.) She was held captive in a castle.
What does the word captive mean? There are 11 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word captive . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
