kidnap
The origin and history of kidnap.
Etymology
From "kid" (child) + slang "nap" (to snatch or grab). It began as 17th-century criminal slang for stealing children to sell as laborers in overseas colonies.
The origin and history of kidnap.
From "kid" (child) + slang "nap" (to snatch or grab). It began as 17th-century criminal slang for stealing children to sell as laborers in overseas colonies.