pledge
a solemn promise or agreement to do or refrain from doing something: a pledge of aid;a pledge not to wage war.
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.
the state of being given or held as security: to put a thing in pledge.
Law.
the act of delivering goods, property, etc., to another for security.
the resulting legal relationship.
something given or regarded as a security.
a person accepted for membership in a club, fraternity, or sorority, but not yet formally approved.
an assurance of support or goodwill conveyed by drinking a person's health; a toast.
Obsolete.
a hostage.
a person who becomes bail or surety for another.
to bind by or as if by a pledge: to pledge hearers to secrecy.
to promise solemnly: to pledge one's support.
to give or deposit as a pledge; pawn.
to stake, as one's honor.
to secure by a pledge; give a pledge for.
to accept as a pledge for club, fraternity, or sorority membership.
to drink a health or toast to.
to make or give a pledge: to pledge for someone.
to drink a pledge; toast someone's health, success, etc.
Idioms about pledge
take the pledge, to make a solemn, formal vow to abstain from intoxicating drink.
Origin of pledge
1Other words for pledge
Other words from pledge
- pledge·a·ble, adjective
- pledger, noun
- pledgeless, adjective
- in·ter·pledge, verb (used with object), in·ter·pledged, in·ter·pledg·ing.
- pre·pledge, verb (used with object), pre·pledged, pre·pledg·ing; noun
- quasi-pledge, verb, qua·si-pledged, qua·si-pledg·ing.
- re·pledge, verb (used with object), re·pledged, re·pledg·ing, noun
- un·pledged, adjective
Words Nearby pledge
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use pledge in a sentence
Two days after China’s announcement on export controls, ByteDance issued a contrite pledge to “strictly follow” the new rules.
How Trump’s TikTok ban pushed China’s most independent tech billionaire closer to Beijing | claychandler | September 10, 2020 | FortuneAs lots of companies make pledges and commitments, people fear this will be another hot news cycle, and the conversation about race in corporate America is going to die off.
That’s the question employees inside media companies are starting to ask about their employers’ diversity and inclusion pledges.
‘Feels very much lip service’: Media employees agitate over companies’ inaction following diversity and inclusion pledges | Tim Peterson | August 31, 2020 | DigidayOxford backed off from its open-license pledge after the Gates Foundation urged it to find a big-company partner to get its vaccine to market.
Oxford’s COVID vaccine deal with AstraZeneca raises concerns about access and pricing | lbelanger225 | August 24, 2020 | FortuneThe pledge made last year was for the long term, as the business leaders committed to “the future success of our companies, our communities, and our country.”
Why a year later, the Business Roundtable’s updated statement of purpose is more relevant than ever | jakemeth | August 19, 2020 | Fortune
“It is our Islamic obligation to pledge allegiance to the Islamic State and give it our Islamic fealty,” he said.
ISIS Targets Afghanistan Just as the U.S. Quits | Sami Yousafzai, Christopher Dickey | December 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTI pledge to conduct a full and fair investigation and to give the grand jury all of the information necessary to do its job.
Lohse rushes Sigma Alpha Epsilon, gets a bid, endures pledge term, and then submits to the dehumanizing rigors of Hell Night.
And with new leadership in Washington we will stand together and pledge to listen to the American people.
The filled out pledge cards are then mailed back to voters shortly before Election Day as a way to remind them to vote.
That his friend had withdrawn, was a pledge of his pacific wishes; and, with a lightened countenance, Louis rose from his knee.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4 | Jane PorterThey accepted baptism as a sort of sacred pledge of friendship and alliance with the French.
The rich dark coloring is the pledge of your safety—better there than darkening your own brains.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.I proposed to accompany him, while we were on the march, and to pledge myself for his honour when we arrived at quarters.
And in these laws they are called to pledge themselves to that obedience by entering into Covenant with Him.
The Ordinance of Covenanting | John Cunningham
British Dictionary definitions for pledge
/ (plɛdʒ) /
a formal or solemn promise or agreement, esp to do or refrain from doing something
collateral for the payment of a debt or the performance of an obligation
the condition of being collateral (esp in the phrase in pledge)
a sign, token, or indication: the gift is a pledge of their sincerity
an assurance of support or goodwill, conveyed by drinking to a person, cause, etc; toast: we drank a pledge to their success
a person who binds himself, as by becoming bail or surety for another
sign the pledge or take the pledge to make a vow to abstain from alcoholic drink
to promise formally or solemnly: he pledged allegiance
(tr) to bind or secure by or as if by a pledge: they were pledged to secrecy
to give, deposit, or offer (one's word, freedom, property, etc) as a guarantee, as for the repayment of a loan
to drink a toast to (a person, cause, etc)
Origin of pledge
1Derived forms of pledge
- pledgable, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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