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, pledg·ing.

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, pledg·ing.

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. sign the pledge
   sign the pledgetake the pledge 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)

Derived Forms

• ˈpledgable, adjective

Other Words From

• pledgea·ble adjective
• pledger noun
• pledgeless adjective
• inter·pledge verb (used with object) interpledged interpledging
• pre·pledge verb (used with object) prepledged prepledging noun
• quasi-pledge verb quasipledged quasipledging
• re·pledge verb (used with object) repledged repledging noun
• un·pledged 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

Two days after China’s announcement on export controls, ByteDance issued a contrite pledge to “strictly follow” the new rules.

From 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.

From Ozy

That’s the question employees inside media companies are starting to ask about their employers’ diversity and inclusion pledges.

From 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.

From 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.”

From Fortune

“It is our Islamic obligation to pledge allegiance to the Islamic State and give it our Islamic fealty,” he said.

From The 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.

From The Daily Beast

Lohse rushes Sigma Alpha Epsilon, gets a bid, endures pledge term, and then submits to the dehumanizing rigors of Hell Night.

From The Daily Beast

And with new leadership in Washington we will stand together and pledge to listen to the American people.

From The 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.

From The Daily Beast

That his friend had withdrawn, was a pledge of his pacific wishes; and, with a lightened countenance, Louis rose from his knee.

From Project Gutenberg

They accepted baptism as a sort of sacred pledge of friendship and alliance with the French.

From Project Gutenberg

The rich dark coloring is the pledge of your safety—better there than darkening your own brains.

From Project Gutenberg

I proposed to accompany him, while we were on the march, and to pledge myself for his honour when we arrived at quarters.

From Project Gutenberg

And in these laws they are called to pledge themselves to that obedience by entering into Covenant with Him.

From Project Gutenberg