A sum of money paid in advance as a deposit; hence, a pledge, a guarantee, an indication of something to come.
Gravity; serious purpose; earnestness.
Seriousness; reality; actuality (as opposed to joking or pretence)
Intent; focused; showing a lot of concentration.
Serious or honest.
Strenuous; diligent.
Focused in the pursuit of an objective; eager to obtain or do.
Serious; weighty; of a serious, weighty, or important nature; important.
Possessing or characterised by seriousness.
To be serious with; use in earnest.
A person given as a pledge or security for the performance of the conditions of a treaty or similar agreement, such as to ensure the status of a vassal.
The condition of being held as security or to compel someone else to act or not act in a particular way.
Something that constrains one's actions because it is at risk.
A person seized in order to compel another party to act (or refrain from acting) in a certain way, because of the threat of harm to the hostage.
One who is compelled by something, especially something that poses a threat; one who is not free to choose their own course of action.
To hold (someone or something) hostage, especially in a way that constrains or controls the person or thing held, or in order to exchange for something else.
To give (someone or something) as a hostage to (someone or something else).