noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˌhɒstɪd͡ʒ tə ˈfɔːt͡ʃuːn/
General-American:/ˌhɑstɪd͡ʒ tə ˈfoɹt͡ʃun/
General-American:/-t͡ʃən/
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)t͡ʃuːn
rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)tʃən
1
noun
Meaning 1
An action, promise, or remark that is considered unwise because it could be difficult to fulfil or could cause trouble later on.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK
Examples
He was very cautious with his words and gave no hostages to fortune.
1982 July 1, Mr. M. O’Leary, Dáil Éireann, volume 337, Houses of the Oireachtas, Ireland https://web.archive.org/web/20121110193054/http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0337/D.0337.198207010005.html As I say, there are no answers to date on these serious issues.... It is understandable in human terms that a Government would wish to survive, to do better things perhaps, but so far this House has been left in total ignorance of the policy package to be offered by this Government and their day-to-day operation on which this vote of no confidence is based, on their mishandling of the economy. We can give no hostage to fortune. On their work so far they do not deserve a vote of confidence here today.
2001 November 13, John O'Donoghue, Dáil Éireann, volume 543, Houses of the Oireachtas, Ireland https://web.archive.org/web/20121125140855/http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0543/D.0543.200111130010.html I hope the other report will be completed at a very early date, but to put a timescale on it would be to give hostage to fortune and I am not prepared to do that.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A person or thing whose fate is seen as dependent on chance or luck.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From hostage (“one who is compelled by something, especially something that poses a threat”) + to + fortune (“destiny”).
Across languages
Translations
13 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Finnish:
kostautuva
— action, promise, or remark that is considered unwise because it could be difficult to fulfil or could cause trouble later on
Polish:
igranie z losem
— action, promise, or remark that is considered unwise because it could be difficult to fulfil or could cause trouble later on
Russian:
слова́ на ве́тер
(slová na véter)
— action, promise, or remark that is considered unwise because it could be difficult to fulfil or could cause trouble later on
Russian:
опроме́тчивое заявле́ние
(oprométčivoje zajavlénije)
— action, promise, or remark that is considered unwise because it could be difficult to fulfil or could cause trouble later on
Russian:
пусто́е обеща́ние
(pustóje obeščánije)
— action, promise, or remark that is considered unwise because it could be difficult to fulfil or could cause trouble later on
Welsh:
gwystl ffawd
— action, promise, or remark that is considered unwise because it could be difficult to fulfil or could cause trouble later on
Macedonian:
на ми́лост на судби́ната
(na mílost na sudbínata)
— person or thing whose fate is seen as dependent on chance or luck
Polish:
osoba igrająca z losem
— person or thing whose fate is seen as dependent on chance or luck
Russian:
игру́шка в рука́х судьбы́
(igrúška v rukáx sudʹbý)
— person or thing whose fate is seen as dependent on chance or luck
Russian:
на ми́лость судьбы́
(na mílostʹ sudʹbý)
— person or thing whose fate is seen as dependent on chance or luck
Russian:
во вла́сти судьбы́
(vo vlásti sudʹbý)
— person or thing whose fate is seen as dependent on chance or luck
Russian:
на острие́ ножа́
(na ostrijé nožá)
— person or thing whose fate is seen as dependent on chance or luck
Russian:
в подве́шенном состоя́нии
(v podvéšennom sostojánii)
— person or thing whose fate is seen as dependent on chance or luck
