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