pledge

[plej]

noun

1. a solemn promise or agreement to do or refrain from doing something.

   a pledge of aid;

   a pledge not to wage war.

2. something delivered as security for the payment of a debt or fulfillment of a promise, and subject to forfeiture on failure to pay or fulfill the promise.

   Synonyms: guaranty, surety, warranty

3. the state of being given or held as security.

   to put a thing in pledge.

4. Law.

   1. the act of delivering goods, property, etc., to another for security.

   2. the resulting legal relationship.

5. something given or regarded as a security.

6. a person accepted for membership in a club, fraternity, or sorority, but not yet formally approved.

7. an assurance of support or goodwill conveyed by drinking a person's health; a toast.

8. Obsolete.

   1. a hostage.

   2. a person who becomes bail or surety for another.

verb (used with object)

pledged, pledging 

1. to bind by or as if by a pledge.

   to pledge hearers to secrecy.

2. to promise solemnly.

   to pledge one's support.

3. to give or deposit as a pledge; pawn.

4. to stake, as one's honor.

5. to secure by a pledge; give a pledge for.

6. to accept as a pledge for club, fraternity, or sorority membership.

7. to drink a health or toast to.

verb (used without object)

pledged, pledging 

1. to make or give a pledge.

   to pledge for someone.

2. to drink a pledge; toast someone's health, success, etc.

pledge

/ plɛdʒ /

noun

1. a formal or solemn promise or agreement, esp to do or refrain from doing something

2. 1. collateral for the payment of a debt or the performance of an obligation

   2. the condition of being collateral (esp in the phrase in pledge )

3. a sign, token, or indication

   the gift is a pledge of their sincerity

4. an assurance of support or goodwill, conveyed by drinking to a person, cause, etc; toast

   we drank a pledge to their success

5. a person who binds himself, as by becoming bail or surety for another

6. to make a vow to abstain from alcoholic drink

verb

1. to promise formally or solemnly

   he pledged allegiance

2. (tr) to bind or secure by or as if by a pledge

   they were pledged to secrecy

3. to give, deposit, or offer (one's word, freedom, property, etc) as a guarantee, as for the repayment of a loan

4. to drink a toast to (a person, cause, etc)

Other Word Forms

• pledgable adjective
• pledgeable adjective
• pledger noun
• pledgeless adjective
• interpledge verb (used with object)
• prepledge verb (used with object)
• quasi-pledge verb
• repledge verb (used with object)
• unpledged adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pledge¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English plege, from Anglo-French, from early Medieval Latin plebium, plevium, noun derivative of plebīre “to pledge,” from Germanic; compare Old English plēon “to risk,” German pflegen “to look after”; plight ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of pledge¹

C14: from Old French plege, from Late Latin plebium gage, security, from plebīre to pledge, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German pflegan to look after, care for

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. take the pledge, to make a solemn, formal vow to abstain from intoxicating drink.

Example Sentences

A key part of Swinney's pledge was that the new walk-in services would offer one million more appointments per year.

Read more on BBC

Before Monday's address, Rajoelina had not appeared in public since Wednesday when he pledged at a public meeting to address complaints against his government.

Read more on Barron's

The government has pledged to tackle child-on-parent abuse and make sure problematic behaviours are identified early.

Read more on BBC

Labour pledged to repeal the act and replace it after winning the last election, including agreeing a way forward with Dublin.

Read more on BBC

Deforestation "has not meaningfully declined" despite a global pledge to halt forest destruction, but next month's UN climate summit in the Amazon could mark a turning point, experts said Tuesday.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• agreement 
• assurance 
• guarantee 
• oath 
• promise 
• vow 
• word