pledge

[ plej ]

/ plɛdʒ /

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See synonyms for: pledge / pledged on Thesaurus.com

noun

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.

verb (used with object), pledged, pledg·ing.

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.

verb (used without object), pledged, pledg·ing.

to make or give a pledge: to pledge for someone.

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

OTHER WORDS FOR pledge

2 warranty, surety, guaranty.

See synonyms for pledge on Thesaurus.com

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ALL IN FAVO(U)R OF THIS BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH QUIZ

There's an ocean of difference between the way people speak English in the US vs. the UK. Are your language skills up to the task of telling the difference? Let's find out!

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True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.

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Idioms about pledge

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

Origin of pledge

1275–1325; Middle English plege<Anglo-French <early Medieval Latin plevium,plebium, derivative of plebīre to pledge <Germanic; compare Old English plēon to risk, German pflegen to look after. See plight²

OTHER WORDS FROM pledge

pledge·a·ble, adjectivepledger, nounpledgeless, adjectivein·ter·pledge, verb (used with object), in·ter·pledged, in·ter·pledg·ing.

pre·pledge, verb (used with object), pre·pledged, pre·pledg·ing; nounquasi-pledge, verb, qua·si-pledged, qua·si-pledg·ing.re·pledge, verb (used with object), re·pledged, re·pledg·ing, nounun·pledged, adjective

Words nearby pledge

plecopteran, plectognath, plectron, plectrum, pled, pledge, pledged delegate, pledgee, Pledge of Allegiance, pledget, pledgor

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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|Fortune
As 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.
Can They Redefine the C-Suite as the B-Suite?|Nick Fouriezos|September 8, 2020|Ozy
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|Digiday
Oxford 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|Fortune

The 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|DAILY BEAST
I pledge to conduct a full and fair investigation and to give the grand jury all of the information necessary to do its job.
New York's Next Killer-Cop Grand Jury|Jacob Siegel|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Lohse rushes Sigma Alpha Epsilon, gets a bid, endures pledge term, and then submits to the dehumanizing rigors of Hell Night.
An Ivy League Frat Boy’s Shallow Repentance|Stefan Beck|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And with new leadership in Washington we will stand together and pledge to listen to the American people.
In Texas, Cruz, Perry Crow Over GOP Rout|Tim Mak|November 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The filled out pledge cards are then mailed back to voters shortly before Election Day as a way to remind them to vote.
The Democrats’ Simple Midterm Weapon|Ben Jacobs|November 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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 Porter
They accepted baptism as a sort of sacred pledge of friendship and alliance with the French.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
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.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
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

pledge

/ (plɛdʒ) /

noun

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 indicationthe gift is a pledge of their sincerity

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

verb

to promise formally or solemnlyhe pledged allegiance

(tr) to bind or secure by or as if by a pledgethey 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)

Derived forms of pledge

pledgable, adjective

Word Origin for pledge

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

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

pledge

OTHER WORDS FOR pledge

Idioms about pledge

Origin of pledge

OTHER WORDS FROM pledge

Words nearby pledge

Words related to pledge

How to use pledge in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pledge

Derived forms of pledge

Word Origin for pledge