Category:Captive

Cap"tive, n. Etym: [L. captivus, fr. capere to take: cf. F. captif. See Caitiff.]

1. A prisoner taken by force or stratagem, esp., by an enemy, in war; one kept in bondage or in the power of another. Then, when I am thy captive, talk of chains. Milton.

2. One charmed or subdued by beaty, excellence, or affection; one who is captivated.

captive Cap"tive, a.

1. Made prisoner, especially in war; held in bondage or in confinement. A poor, miserable, captive thrall. Milton.

2. Subdued by love; charmed; captivated. Even in so short a space, my wonan's heart Grossly grew captive to his honey words. Shak.

3. Of or pertaining to bondage or confinement; serving to confine; as, captive chains; captive hours.

captive Cap"tive, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Captived; p. pr. & vb. n. Captiving.]

Defn: To take prisoner; to capture. Their inhabitans slaughtered and captived. Burke.

- ---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Captive - One taken in war. Captives were often treated with great cruelty and indignity (1 Kings 20:32; Joshua 10:24; Judges 1:7; 2 Samuel 4:12; Judges 8:7; 2 Samuel 12:31; 1 Chronicles 20:3). When a city was taken by assault, all the men were slain, and the women and children carried away captive and sold as slaves (Isaiah 20:1; Isaiah 47:3; 2 Chronicles 28:9; Psalms 44:12; Joel 3:3), and exposed to the most cruel treatment (Nahum 3:10; Zechariah 14:2; Esther 3:13; 2 Kings 8:12; Isaiah 13:16, Isaiah 13:18). Captives were sometimes carried away into foreign countries, as was the case with the Jews (Jeremiah 20:5; Jeremiah 39:9, Jeremiah 39:10; Jeremiah 40:7).