hostage to fortune

== English == === Etymology === From hostage (“one who is compelled by something, especially something that poses a threat”) + to + fortune (“destiny”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌhɒstɪd͡ʒ tə ˈfɔːt͡ʃuːn/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˌhɑstɪd͡ʒ tə ˈfoɹt͡ʃun/, /-t͡ʃən/ Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)t͡ʃuːn, -ɔː(ɹ)tʃən Hyphenation: host‧age to for‧tune === Noun === hostage to fortune (plural hostages to fortune) (chiefly British) An action, promise, or remark that is considered unwise because it could be difficult to fulfil or could cause trouble later on. 1982 July 1, Mr. M. O’Leary, Dáil Éireann, volume 337, Houses of the Oireachtas, Ireland [1] 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 [2] 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. (chiefly US) A person or thing whose fate is seen as dependent on chance or luck. ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== leave nothing to chance tempt fate === Further reading === “to give, etc., a hostage to fortune” under “hostage, n.1”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, December 2022. “hostage to fortune”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present. “a hostage to fortune”, in Collins English Dictionary. “a hostage to fortune” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman. “a hostage to fortune” (US) / “a hostage to fortune” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary. “a hostage to fortune”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.