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 or take 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

Despite a pledge to be a president who presides over peace rather than war, Trump takes office against a backdrop of global upheaval: wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the increasing closeness of Russia and North Korea, an ascendant China.

From Los Angeles Times

That pledge is already taking shape with his appointments.

From Los Angeles Times

The sentencing review was a Labour manifesto pledge and the party has also appointed Lord Timpson, former head of the key-cutting chain that hires ex-offenders and chief of the Prison Reform Trust, as its prisons minister.

From BBC

He has also pledged to fire thousands of civil servants unless they pledge to be loyal to him, as well as scrub references to climate change from government documents.

From Salon

Trump’s failure to sign an ethics pledge has held back some crucial aspects of the transition, including access to agency and national security briefings and documents for his team.

From Los Angeles Times