a hostage to fortune

a hostage to fortune
an act, commitment, or remark that is regarded as unwise because it invites trouble or could prove difficult to live up to

making objectives explicit is to give a hostage to fortune

* * *

a hostage to fortune
◇ In British English, a hostage to fortune is something (such as a promise or an action) that someone has made or done that may cause problems in the future. In U.S. English, this phrase is much less common and is usually understood to mean a person whose future success or failure is controlled by luck or fortune.
• • •
Main Entry:hostage

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • (a) hostage to fortune — a hostage to fortune phrase an action, remark, or situation that may cause you problems in the future Thesaurus: people and things that cause worry or problemshyponym small and minor problemssynonym Main entry: hostage * * * a ˌhostage to… …   Useful english dictionary

  • (a) hostage to fortune — formal if something is a hostage to fortune, it could be harmed by things that happen in the future. Inviting terrorists to take part in the talks has created a hostage to fortune …   New idioms dictionary

  • a hostage to fortune — ► a hostage to fortune an act or remark regarded as unwise because it invites trouble in the future. Main Entry: ↑hostage …   English terms dictionary

  • give a hostage to fortune — formal, formal if something gives a hostage to fortune, it may cause problems in the future. She could never be president because her journalistic work gives too many hostages to fortune …   New idioms dictionary

  • a hostage to fortune — an act or remark seen as unwise because it invites trouble. → hostage …   English new terms dictionary

  • give hostage to fortune — verb To take an action or make a statement that is risky because it could cause you trouble later. , He was very cautious with his words and gave no hostages to fortune …   Wiktionary

  • hostage — ► NOUN ▪ a person seized or held in order to induce others to comply with a demand or condition. ● a hostage to fortune Cf. ↑a hostage to fortune ORIGIN Old French, from Latin obsidatus the state of being a hostage , from obses hostage …   English terms dictionary

  • a hostage to fortune — an action, remark, or situation that may cause you problems in the future …   English dictionary

  • fortune — for|tune W3S3 [ˈfo:tʃən US ˈfo:r ] n ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(money)¦ 2¦(chance)¦ 3¦(what happens to you)¦ 4 tell somebody s fortune ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ [Date: 1200 1300; : French; Origin: Latin fortuna] 1.) ¦(MONEY)¦ a ver …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • hostage */ — UK [ˈhɒstɪdʒ] / US [ˈhɑstɪdʒ] noun [countable] Word forms hostage : singular hostage plural hostages a person who is the prisoner of someone who threatens to kill them if they do not get what they want The President is making every effort to… …   English dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”