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pledge

verb, noun — 10 senses

pledge

verb

/plɛd͡ʒ/

Etymology From Middle English plege, from Anglo-Norman plege, from Old French plege (Modern French pleige) from Medieval Latin plevium, plebium, from plebiō (“to pledge”), from Frankish *plehan (“to pledge; to support; to guarantee”). Akin to Old High German pflegan (“to take care of, be accustomed to”), Old Saxon plegan (“to vouch for”), Old English plēon (“to risk, endanger”). More at plight.

1

To make a solemn promise (to do something).

  • pledge allegiance to the flag
2

To deposit something as a security; to pawn.

3

To give assurance of friendship by the act of drinking; to drink to one's health.

  • HARDCASTLE [Taking the cup.] I hope you'll find it to your mind. I have prepared it with my own hands, and I believe you'll own the ingredients are tolerable. Will you be so good as to pledge me, sir? Here, Mr. Marlow, here is to our better acquaintance. [Drinks.]1773, Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer:
  • Reach me my golden cup that stands by thee, And pledge me in it first for courtesy.1852, Matthew Arnold, Tristram and Iseult:
Derived terms
antipledging, mispledge, pledgable, pledgeability, repledge, unpledged

pledge

noun

Etymology From Middle English plege, from Anglo-Norman plege, from Old French plege (Modern French pleige) from Medieval Latin plevium, plebium, from plebiō (“to pledge”), from Frankish *plehan (“to pledge; to support; to guarantee”). Akin to Old High German pflegan (“to take care of, be accustomed to”), Old Saxon plegan (“to vouch for”), Old English plēon (“to risk, endanger”). More at plight.

7 senses
  1. 1A solemn promise to do something.
  2. 2A promise to abstain from drinking alcohol.
  3. 3An asset or person temporarily handed over to guarantee…
  4. 4A bailment of personal property to secure payment of a…
  5. 5The personal property so pledged, to be kept until the…
  6. 6A person who has taken a pledge of allegiance to a…
  7. 7A drinking toast.
1

A solemn promise to do something.

  • Mr. Biden unveiled the pledge at a White House climate summit for world leaders, declaring that the United States is ready to reclaim a leadership role on climate change.2021 April 22, Brad Plumer, Nadja Popovich, “The U.S. Has a New Climate Goal. How Does It Stack Up Globally?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
2

With the A promise to abstain from drinking alcohol.

3

An asset or person temporarily handed over to guarantee the fulfilment of something promised, under threat of permanent loss of the thing handed over; surety, security, hostage.

  • Iacke Straw. […] I haue his wife and children pledges, for his ſpeedie returne from the King, to whom he is gone with our meſſage. Tom Miller. Let him take heede hee bring a wiſe anſwere to our worships, or els his pledges goes to the pot.1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], →OCLC, Act I:
4

Law A bailment of personal property to secure payment of a debt without transfer of title.

5

Law The personal property so pledged, to be kept until the debt is paid.

6

A person who has taken a pledge of allegiance to a college fraternity, but is not yet formally approved.

University slang

7

A drinking toast.

Derived terms
antipledge, antipledging, dead pledge, depledge, frankpledge, impledge, interpledge, negative pledge, pledgee, pledgeless, pledgeling, pledgemaster, pledge of allegiance, Pledge of Allegiance, pledger, pledgeship, pledgor, propledge, purity pledge, put in pledge, safe pledge, take the pledge, virginity pledge
Related terms
oath, vow

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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