hostage to fortune

hostage to fortune

An act or situation that could create future problems. A company that publicly supports an unpopular political stance often creates a hostage to fortune.
See also: fortune, hostage
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

a hostage to fortune

mainly BRITISH
If someone or something is a hostage to fortune, they have created a situation where bad things may happen to them in the future. Charles had already made himself a hostage to fortune by declaring that 30 was a suitable age to settle down. The proposals were regarded by some as a dangerous hostage to fortune. Note: You can also say that someone gives a hostage to fortune or creates a hostage to fortune if they do something that may cause trouble in the future. Despite persistent questioning, he gave no hostages to fortune in the form of a timetable. Note: Other verbs may be used instead of give or create. By opting for the best, the council recognises that it may have handed a hostage to fortune. Many departments may find it difficult to achieve the new standards that have been set for them. Note: This expression comes from an essay by Francis Bacon, `Of Marriage and Single Life' (1625): `He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune.'
See also: fortune, hostage
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

a hostage to fortune

an act, commitment, or remark which is regarded as unwise because it invites trouble or could prove difficult to live up to.
The original hostages to fortune were a man's family, the allusion being to Francis Bacon's essay on marriage ( 1625 ): ‘He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune’.
See also: fortune, hostage
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

a ˌhostage to ˈfortune

an action which may cause you great trouble in the future: Are you really sure you want to know who your real mother is? It may be taking a hostage to fortune, you know.
See also: fortune, hostage
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • a hostage to fortune
  • lucky at cards, unlucky in love
  • small fortune
  • a small fortune
  • every flow has its ebb
  • every flow must have its ebb
  • go from zero to hero
  • haste makes waste
  • let the genie out of the bottle
  • genie
References in periodicals archive
"The measures Thomas Cook is taking to get itself back on track look sensible, but with so many challenging factors outside its control, it's still a hostage to fortune," said Hargreaves Lansdown senior analyst Laith Khalaf.
Shares drop at Thomas Cook on profit warning
Arsenal have found themselves a hostage to fortune over a raft of big names in recent times with Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez and are determined not to make the same mistakes again.
What Josh Kroenke told Arsenal fans at surprise Emirates meeting; This was the first time one of the Kroenkes has met with supporters away from the club's Annual General Meeting
"The Prince, then nearly 33, had already made himself a hostage to fortune by declaring that 30 was a suitable age to settle down," Princess Diana's biographer added.
Prince Charles Proposed To Diana Due To This Duke's Ghost
The compliance officer is something of a hostage to fortune to a policy established by her predecessors.
Our game's gone to war with its own worst enemy - itself
She told a Newcastle City Council meeting that doing so could leave police "hostage to fortune" and open to criticism from "some quite strong men's groups saying we are distorting the amount of anti-female crime".
Commissioner in 'two minds' over misogyny as crime
The DG ISPR said that Operation Radd-ul-Fasad has been launched to 'eliminate disorganised residual presence of militants' and there emerges another hostage to fortune. The militants may be disorganised today which does not mean they are going to be disorganised tomorrow or the next day, and eliminating them is never going to be purely a military-led operation.
Hostages to fortune
Patanjali 4.45 Wolverhampton SP forecast 5-2 Possibly unlucky at Lingfield last time, although that highlighted how she will always be a hostage to fortune around a bend and didn't appear to be crying out for this drop in trip.
BANKERS OR BLOWOUTS? Killer angles on today's racing with Pietro Innocenzi
RUGBY UNION By DUNCAN BECH WARREN GATLAND is to draw up a standby list for his British and Irish Lions, but he will keep its contents private so as to avoid becoming a hostage to fortune.
Gatland keeps Lions list secret... for now; We don't want to back ourselves into corner, says coach
WHEN Labour opened up its leadership election to anyone who was prepared to stump up PS3 and declare themselves a supporter, the party became a hostage to fortune.
Membership tangle for Labour Party; COMMENT
He who loves gives a hostage to fortune. FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE
High Heaven
Possibly, it is a hostage to fortune. Arguably, it is a throwback to another time.
Red Ed? We can only hope; sunday mail OPINION
He has pulled back from that stance though, and is now refusing to leave himself a hostage to fortune.
We've improved under Rodgers
And while he fully intends to score regularly for the club he joined in January, he won't make himself a hostage to fortune by revealing his target total.
Promotion's the target, says Juke
"I want to point out that if any person is tempted to drive in anything like those circumstances, they are a hostage to fortune - they may kill themselves, they may kill somebody else," Mr Balmain said.
MAN HURLED FROM CAR IN FATAL CRASH
But he will also have feared what a hostage to fortune it could turn out to be.
Long week on a road to ruin