Etymology From Middle English plit (“fold, wrinkle, bad situation”), conflation of Middle English pliht, plight (“risky promise, peril”) (from Old English pliht "danger, risk"; see Etymology 2) and Anglo-Norman plit, plyte (“fold, condition”), from Old French pleit (“condition, manner of folding”) (from Vulgar Latin *plictum, from Latin plicitum (“fold”)).
1
A dire or unfortunate situation.
Though we say we are quite clear about it and understand when someone uses the expression, unlike that other expression, maybe we're in the same plight with regard to them both.2005, Plato, translated by Lesley Brown, Sophist, page 243c:
Gosling's plight worsened when he was soon shown a red card for a foul on Martin.2011 December 10, Arindam Rej, “Norwich 4-2 Newcastle”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 24 Mar 2012:
1 more example
Despite spending £1 billion of its own resources, that balanced budget became impossible and forced TfL to issue a 'Section 114' notice of impending financial plight and go to the government for support.2020 June 17, Philip Haigh, “Capital for the capital to meet London's transport needs”, in Rail, page 28:
although hee live in as good plight and health as may be, yet he chafeth, he scoldeth, he brawleth, he fighteth, he sweareth, and biteth, as the most boistrous and tempestuous master of France[…].1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 8, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
All wayes shee sought him to restore to plight, / With herbs, with charms, with counsel, and with teares[…].1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto VII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
plight
verb
Etymology From Middle English plight (“risk, danger”), from Old English pliht (“peril, risk, danger, damage, plight”), from Proto-West Germanic *plihti (“care, responsibility, duty”). A suffixed form of the root represented by Old English pleoh (“risk, danger, hurt, peril"; also "responsibility”) and plēon (“to endanger, risk”). Akin to Old English plihtan (“to endanger, compromise”). Cognate with Scots plicht (“responsibility, plight”), Dutch plicht, Low German Plicht (“duty”), German Pflicht (“duty”), Danish pligt (“duty”), Yiddish פֿליכט (flikht). More at pledge.
1
Archaic To nominate an object of value as a security against a promise; to pledge something, as one's faith, trust, allegiance, or something symbolic of this.
"Travel shall I and woo; Plight me shall I a flower; Try shall I my sword so good, To my weal or my woe in the stour."1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 170:
2
Specifically, to pledge (one's troth etc.) as part of a marriage ceremony.
3
To promise (oneself) to someone, or to do something.
I ask what I have done to deserve it, one daughter hobnobbing with radicals and the other planning to plight herself to a criminal.1992, Hilary Mantel, A Place of Greater Safety, Harper Perennial, published 2007, page 226:
Etymology From Middle English plight (“risk, danger”), from Old English pliht (“peril, risk, danger, damage, plight”), from Proto-West Germanic *plihti (“care, responsibility, duty”). A suffixed form of the root represented by Old English pleoh (“risk, danger, hurt, peril"; also "responsibility”) and plēon (“to endanger, risk”). Akin to Old English plihtan (“to endanger, compromise”). Cognate with Scots plicht (“responsibility, plight”), Dutch plicht, Low German Plicht (“duty”), German Pflicht (“duty”), Danish pligt (“duty”), Yiddish פֿליכט (flikht). More at pledge.
1
Dialectal Responsibility for ensuing consequences; risk; danger; peril.
2
Dialectal An instance of danger or peril; a dangerous moment or situation.
Archaic That which is exposed to risk; that which is plighted or pledged; security; a gage; a pledge.
Haply, when I shall wed, That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry Half my love with him, half my care and dutyc. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
ſhe wore a plighted Garmend of divers colours,1670, John Milton, “The Second Book”, in The History of Britain, that Part Especially now Call’d England. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for James Allestry, […] , →OCLC, page 67:
plight
noun
Etymology From Middle English pliȝt, plight, plyt, pleit, from Anglo-Norman pleit (“pleat, fold”). More at plait.
1
Obsolete A network; a plait; a fold; rarely a garment.
Many a folded plight.1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 26: