pledge

[ plej ]

/ plɛdʒ /

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.

Idioms for 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

SYNONYMS FOR pledge

2 warranty, surety, guaranty.

OTHER WORDS FROM pledge

pledge·a·ble, adjective pledg·er, noun pledge·less, 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 qua·si-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

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

British Dictionary definitions for pledgeable

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 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

verb

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)

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

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pledge

noun

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

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

Idioms for pledge

Origin of pledge

SYNONYMS FOR pledge

OTHER WORDS FROM pledge

Words nearby pledge

British Dictionary definitions for pledgeable

noun

verb

Derived forms of pledge

Word Origin for pledge

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pledge

noun

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

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

Idioms for pledge

Origin of pledge

SYNONYMS FOR pledge

OTHER WORDS FROM pledge

Words nearby pledge

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for pledgeable

noun

verb

Derived forms of pledge

Word Origin for pledge

British Dictionary definitions for pledgeable