prisoner · noun C /ˈprɪz.ə.nər/
Word family
Nouns: prison, prisoner, imprisonment
Verbs: imprison
prisoner
B1 a person who is kept in prison as a punishment
Dictionary example:
Prisoners climbed onto the prison roof to protest the conditions inside.
Learner example:
This film dealt with two prisoners that escape from their prison and start to take money from banks (of course not legally!) (Preliminary English Test; B1; Italian)
hold/keep/take sb prisoner
C2 to catch someone and guard them so that they cannot escape
Dictionary example:
He was taken prisoner by a group of armed soldiers.
Learner example:
The ant princess was held prisoner by the evil beetle and the fly prince was on his way to sa[v]e her. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Danish)
