The plural of kidnapping; acts of illegally taking people away and holding them against their will, usually to get money or achieve a goal.
Originated in the 1600s by combining 'kid' (child) and 'nap' (to snatch), initially referring to the stealing of children for labor or ransom. The term evolved to include abductions of people of any age.
In the 1600s, 'kidnapping' was such a widespread problem in England and America that it became a specific legal term—before that, it was just called 'stealing people,' which sounds oddly casual!
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