Reading Theme:
Captive Meaning: Usage, Examples, and Common Mistakes (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：held as prisoner (captive)
captive
/ˈkæptɪv/
adj.
Caught and kept as a prisoner, not allowed to leave or move freely.
held as prisoner
➕
/hɛld æz ˈprɪzənər/
adj.
Used to describe a person or animal that has been caught and is not allowed to leave, usually in a prison or cage.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Latin 'captivus' (caught, taken), from 'capere' (to seize).
💡 Mnemonic
Think of 'capture' (caught) + 'ive' (related to) → something that has been caught and held.
📖 Example
After the battle, the captive soldiers were taken to a prison camp.
After the battle, the captive soldiers were taken to a prison camp.
🔗 Collocations
hold captive – to keep someone as a prisoner
take captive – to capture someone and make them a prisoner
captive animal – an animal kept in a zoo or cage
🔄 Synonyms
imprisoned (adj.) – locked up in prison; not free
confined (adj.) – restricted in space; unable to move freely
incarcerated (adj.) – formally imprisoned in a jail or prison
🚫 Antonyms
🌱 Derivatives
📖 Cultural Story
The word 'captive' entered English from Latin 'captivus,' derived from 'capere' (to seize). In Roman times, it described prisoners of war. Today it is used literally for physical confinement and metaphorically for complete absorption.
Meaning 2：fully engrossed (captive)
captive
/ˈkæptɪv/
adj.
Completely focused and unable to move away, either because you are very interested or because of the situation you are in.
fully engrossed
➕
/ˈfʊli ɪnˈɡroʊst/
adj.
Describes a situation where someone's attention is completely held, as if they cannot look away because they are extremely interested or fascinated.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
The storyteller had a captive audience of children who listened with wide eyes.
The storyteller had a captive audience of children who listened with wide eyes.
🔗 Collocations
captive audience – a group of people who are forced or extremely willing to listen to something
hold someone captive – to keep someone's full attention
captive market – a group of consumers who have no alternative but to buy from a particular supplier
🔄 Synonyms
engrossed (adj.) – completely absorbed in something to the point of ignoring everything else
spellbound (adj.) – so interested or fascinated that you cannot move or look away
riveted (adj.) – holding all of someone's attention; fixed in place
🚫 Antonyms
distracted (adj.) – unable to concentrate because one's attention is diverted
bored (adj.) – feeling weary because something is uninteresting or tedious
disinterested (adj.) – not interested or involved; indifferent
🌱 Derivatives
captivate (v.) – to attract and hold the attention or interest of someone
captivation (n.) – the state of being completely fascinated
captivating (adj.) – extremely interesting or charming
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