hostage to fortune

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English

WOTD – 17 April 2023

Etymology

From hostage (“one who is compelled by something, especially something that poses a threat”) + to + fortune (“destiny”).

Pronunciation

Noun

hostage to fortune (plural hostages to fortune)

  1. (chiefly British) An action, promise, or remark that is considered unwise because it could be difficult to fulfil or could cause trouble later on.
    He was very cautious with his words and gave no hostages to fortune.
    • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Marriage and Single Life. VIII.”, in The Essayes , 3rd edition, London: Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC, page 36:
      He that hath VVife and Children, hath giuen Hoſtages to Fortune; For they are Impediments to great Enterpriſes, either of Vertue, or Miſchiefe. Certainly, the beſt vvorkes, and of greateſt Merit for the Publike, haue proceeded from the vnmarried, or Childleſſe Men; vvhich, both in Affection, and Meanes, haue married and endovved the Publike.
    • B. Barker ; and A. Bettesworth and C. Hitch, , →OCLC, paragraph 5742, page 253:
      VVife and Children are Hoſtages given to Fortune.]
    • 1982 July 1, Mr. M. O’Leary, Dáil Éireann, volume 337, Houses of the Oireachtas, Ireland
      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
      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.
  2. (chiefly US) A person or thing whose fate is seen as dependent on chance or luck.
    • 1950 July, Winston Churchill, “The Shipping Strangehold”, in The Second World War: Volume IV: The Hinge of Fate, th edition, London, Toronto, Ont.: Cassell & Co., →OCLC, book I (The Onslaught of Japan), page 171:
      Once several good outfits are prepared, any one of which can attack a Japanese-held base or island and beat the life out of the garrison, all their islands will become hostages to fortune.
    • 2022 November 2, Philip Haigh, “Comment: Rail strikes: no end in sight”, in Rail, number 969, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 3:
      Too many [rail] companies are hostages to fortune by relying on RDW [rest day working] agreements to run their timetable.

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