plight

¹

[plahyt]

noun

1. a condition, state, or situation, especially an unfavorable or unfortunate one.

   to find oneself in a sorry plight.

plight

²

[plahyt]

verb (used with object)

1. to pledge (one's troth) in engagement to marry.

2. to bind (someone) by a pledge, especially of marriage.

3. to give in pledge, as one's word, or to pledge, as one's honor.

noun

1. Archaic.,  pledge.

plight

¹

/ plaɪt /

verb

1. to give or pledge (one's word)

   he plighted his word to attempt it

2. to promise formally or pledge (allegiance, support, etc)

   to plight aid

3. 1. to make a promise of marriage

   2. to give one's solemn promise

noun

1. archaic,  a solemn promise, esp of engagement; pledge

plight

²

/ plaɪt /

noun

1. a condition of extreme hardship, danger, etc

Other Word Forms

• plighter noun
• unplighted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of plight¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English plit “fold, condition, bad condition,” from Anglo-French (cognate with Middle French pleit plait ) “fold, manner of folding, condition”; spelling apparently influenced by plight ² in obsolete sense “danger”

Origin of plight²

First recorded before 1000; (noun) Middle English; Old English pliht “danger, risk”; cognate with Dutch plicht, German Pflicht “duty, obligation”; (verb) Middle English plighten, Old English plihtan (derivative of the noun) “to endanger, risk, pledge”; cognate with Old High German phlichten “to engage oneself,” Middle Dutch plihten “to guarantee”

Word History and Origins

Origin of plight¹

Old English pliht peril; related to Old High German, German Pflicht duty

Origin of plight²

C14 plit, from Old French pleit fold, _plait ; probably influenced by Old English pliht peril, _plight ²

Synonym Study

See predicament.

Example Sentences

And if nothing else, most of us agree that those elected to represent us are out of touch with our plight.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

No one around me seems to care about my plight; they’re too busy swaying and laughing with perfect rhythm, like they don’t have a worry in the world.

Read more on Literature

Whereas, if the same incident takes place in a bustling restaurant full of people, by the time you draw attention to your plight you may have already turned blue and fallen to the floor.

Read more on Literature

“You don’t have anything?” the security officer asked when we arrived at the White House and Kathy told him of our plight.

Read more on Literature

Reacting to the news, some commentators on the Chinese social media site Weibo showed sympathy with Mr Junmin's plight, highlighting how long it had been since his wife was put in the cryogenic chamber.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• condition 
• predicament 
• quandary 
• trouble