prisoner of conscience

Someone imprisoned for their political or religious beliefs or other ideologies or actions associated therewith. Arrested for using social media to condemn the actions of the dictator, they are now prisoners of conscience.

take (someone) prisoner

To keep someone as one's prisoner; to hold someone captive. Enemy troops took him prisoner during the invasion, and it's a miracle he survived.

take no prisoners

1. Literally, to leave no enemies combatants alive, such as on a battlefield (i.e., to kill everyone instead of taking any prisoners). The marauders were notorious for taking no prisoners.

2. By extension, to be utterly ruthless, uncompromising, or unyielding in the pursuit of one's agenda or goal. This business is renowned for being cutthroat. The people who succeed here take no prisoners. The new manager doesn't take any prisoners when a project needs to get done.

See also: no, prisoner, take

take no prisoners

1. Lit. to kill the enemy rather than seize the enemy as prisoners. The soldiers' orders were to take no prisoners.

2. Fig. to be extremely ruthless with the opposition. The new manager takes no prisoners. He is ruthless and stern.

See also: no, prisoner, take

take no prisoners

not take any prisoners

JOURNALISM

If someone takes no prisoners or does not take any prisoners when they are carrying out a plan or an action, they do it in a very forceful and determined way, without caring if they harm or upset other people. Neil is rough and aggressive; he takes no prisoners. She'd learned the hard way not to take any prisoners. She went in there with an agenda, and she wasn't prepared to make any compromises. Note: You can also say that someone has a take-no-prisoners attitude or approach to something. We had a take-no-prisoners attitude, and we didn't care who we upset. Note: This expression refers to the practice of killing enemy soldiers rather than keeping them as prisoners.

See also: no, prisoner, take

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

prisoner of conscience

a person detained or imprisoned because of their religious or political beliefs.

This phrase is particularly associated with the campaigns of Amnesty International, a human-rights organization.

take no prisoners

be ruthlessly aggressive or uncompromising in the pursuit of your objectives.

1998 Times The transition from Formula One to front-wheel drive saloon cars was never going to be easy…especially in a series where drivers are not known for taking prisoners.

See also: no, prisoner, take

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

take no ˈprisoners

be extremely aggressive and show no sympathy for other people in trying to achieve your aims: She took no prisoners in her dealings with the unions. ♢ Her take-no-prisoners approach has been remarkably successful.

See also: no, prisoner, take

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

take no prisoners

1. To kill all of an enemy or a population.

2. To be ruthless or unrestrained, as in an undertaking: "Grandmother was both very pretty and very mouthy. She took no prisoners" (Nicki Giovanni).

See also: no, prisoner, take

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

take no prisoners

Behave with utter ruthlessness. The term refers to the harsh military policy of killing the enemy rather than capturing them and taking prisoners. In the late 1900s it began to be transferred to other contexts as in, “As for a tax increase, our candidate is totally committed; he’ll take no prisoners on this issue.” It may be turning into a cliché.

See also: no, prisoner, take

See also:

References in classic literature

Evidence as to the financial difficulties in which the prisoner had found himself at the end of July.

The judge gave vent to a faint murmur of disapprobation, and the prisoner in the dock leant forward angrily.

They all declared unanimously that it was certainly not his hand-writing, and gave it as their view that it might be that of the prisoner disguised.

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"And you," returned the prisoner, "who bade me to ask to see you; you, who, when I did ask to see you, came here promising a world of confidence; how is it that, nevertheless, it is you who are silent, leaving it for me to speak?

- Are you ambitious?" said he suddenly to the prisoner, aloud, without preparing him for the alteration.

"A man's secrets are his own, monsieur," retorted the prisoner, "and not at the mercy of the first chance-comer."

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“Enter the plea of not guilty,” said Judge Temple, strongly affected by the simplicity of the prisoner.

“Well, Leather-Stocking,” returned Billy, facing the prisoner with a freedom and familiarity that utterly disregarded the presence of the court, “as you are on the subject it may be that you’ve no—”

That gentleman eyed the familiarity between his witness and the prisoner with manifest disgust, and indicated to the court that he was done.

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The prisoner followed his guide, who led him into a room almost under ground, whose bare and reeking walls seemed as though impregnated with tears; a lamp placed on a stool illumined the apartment faintly, and showed Dantes the features of his conductor, an under-jailer, ill-clothed, and of sullen appearance.

In the meantime there is bread, water, and fresh straw; and that is all a prisoner can wish for.

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"PRISONERS don't have geese running around the donjon-keep to pull pens out of, you muggins.

He said we was representing prisoners; and prisoners don't care how they get a thing so they get it, and nobody don't blame them for it, either.

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The prisoner was one of those military adventurers who sold their blood to whoever would buy, and grew old in stratagems and spoils.

The prisoner muttered a few words in a foreign tongue.

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