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Pledge

//plɛd͡ʒ// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 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."

  2. 2
    a binding commitment to do or give or refrain from something wordnet
  3. 3
    A solemn promise to do something.; A promise to abstain from drinking alcohol.
  4. 4
    a drink in honor of or to the health of a person or event wordnet
  5. 5
    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."

Show 6 more definitions
  1. 6
    someone accepted for membership but not yet fully admitted to the group wordnet
  2. 7
    A bailment of personal property to secure payment of a debt without transfer of title.
  3. 8
    a deposit of personal property as security for a debt wordnet
  4. 9
    A bailment of personal property to secure payment of a debt without transfer of title.; The personal property so pledged, to be kept until the debt is paid.
  5. 10
    A person who has taken a pledge of allegiance to a college fraternity, but is not yet formally approved.
  6. 11
    A drinking toast.
Verb
  1. 1
    To make a solemn promise (to do something).

    "pledge allegiance to the flag"

  2. 2
    promise solemnly and formally wordnet
  3. 3
    To deposit something as a security; to pawn.
  4. 4
    bind or secure by a pledge wordnet
  5. 5
    To give assurance of friendship by the act of drinking; to drink to one's health. transitive

    "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.]"

Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    give as a guarantee wordnet
  2. 7
    propose a toast to wordnet
  3. 8
    pay (an amount of money) as a contribution to a charity or service, especially at regular intervals wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English plege, from Anglo-Norman plege, from Old French plege (Modern French pleige) from Medieval Latin plevium, plebium, from plebiō (“I 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.

Etymology 2

From Middle English plege, from Anglo-Norman plege, from Old French plege (Modern French pleige) from Medieval Latin plevium, plebium, from plebiō (“I 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.

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