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.
3.
the state of being given or held as security: to put a thing in pledge.
4.
Law.
a.
the act of delivering goods, property, etc., to another for security.
b.
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.
a.
a hostage.
b.
a person who becomes bail or surety for another.
–verb (used with object)
9.
to bind by or as if by a pledge: to pledge hearers to secrecy.
10.
to promise solemnly: to pledge one's support.
11.
to give or deposit as a pledge; pawn.
12.
to stake, as one's honor.
13.
to secure by a pledge; give a pledge for.
14.
to accept as a pledge for club, fraternity, or sorority membership.
15.
to drink a health or toast to.
–verb (used without object)
16.
to make or give a pledge: to pledge for someone.
17.
to drink a pledge; toast someone's health, success, etc.
—Idiom
18.
take the pledge, to make a solemn, formal vow to abstain from intoxicating drink.
[Origin: 1275–1325; ME plege < AF < early ML plevium,plebium, deriv. of plebīre to pledge < Gmc; cf. OE pléon to risk, G pflegen to look after. See plight2]
1348, "surety, bail," from O.Fr. plege (Fr. pleige) "hostage, security, bail," probably from Frank. *plegan "to guarantee," from a W.Gmc. root meaning "have responsibility for" (cf. O.Saxon plegan "vouch for," O.H.G. pflegan "to care for, be accustomed to," O.E. pleon "to risk, expose to danger"). Meaning "allegiance vow attested by drinking with another" is from 1635. Sense of "solemn promise" first recorded 1814, though this meaning is from c.1400 in the verb. Weekley notes the "curious contradiction" in pledge "to toast with a drink" (1546) and pledge "the vow to abstain from drinking" (1833). Noun meaning "student who has agreed to join a fraternity or sorority" dates from 1901.
a deposit of personal property as security for a debt; "his saxophone was in pledge"
2.
someone accepted for membership but not yet fully admitted to the group
3.
a drink in honor of or to the health of a person or event
4.
a binding commitment to do or give or refrain from something; "an assurance of help when needed"; "signed a pledge never to reveal the secret" [syn: assurance]
verb
1.
promise solemnly and formally; "I pledge that I will honor my wife"
2.
pay (an amount of money) as a contribution to a charity or service, especially at regular intervals; "I pledged $10 a month to my favorite radio station"
3.
propose a toast to; "Let us toast the birthday girl!"; "Let's drink to the New Year" [syn: toast]
4.
give as a guarantee; "I pledge my honor"
5.
bind or secure by a pledge; "I was pledged to silence"
something given by a person who is borrowing money etc to the person he has borrowed it from, to be kept until the money etc is returned Example: He borrowed $20 and left his watch as a pledge.
Arabic:
رَهْن
Chinese (Simplified):
抵押品
Chinese (Traditional):
抵押品
Czech:
zástava
Danish:
pant
Dutch:
pand
Estonian:
pant
Finnish:
pantti
French:
gage
German:
das Pfand
Greek:
ενέχυρο
Hungarian:
zálog
Icelandic:
veð
Indonesian:
jaminan
Italian:
pegno
Japanese:
担保
Korean:
담보
Latvian:
ķīla
Lithuanian:
užstatas
Norwegian:
pant
Polish:
zastaw
Portuguese (Brazil):
penhor
Portuguese (Portugal):
penhor
Romanian:
gaj
Russian:
залог
Slovak:
záloh
Slovenian:
zastavilo
Spanish:
prenda
Swedish:
pant, säkerhet
Turkish:
rehin
pledge3[pledʒ]noun
a sign or token Example: They exchanged rings as a pledge of their love.
Arabic:
عُرْبون، دَليل، رَمْز
Chinese (Simplified):
信物
Chinese (Traditional):
信物
Czech:
důkaz, projev
Danish:
tegn
Dutch:
teken
Estonian:
armutäht
Finnish:
vakuus
French:
gage
German:
der Beweis
Greek:
δείγμα, τεκμήριο
Hungarian:
zálog
Icelandic:
tryggðapantur
Indonesian:
tanda
Italian:
prova, pegno
Japanese:
しるし
Korean:
징표
Latvian:
zīme; apliecinājums
Lithuanian:
ženklas
Norwegian:
tegn, pant
Polish:
dowód, znak
Portuguese (Brazil):
sinal
Portuguese (Portugal):
sinal
Romanian:
zălog
Russian:
знак, символ
Slovak:
dôkaz
Slovenian:
jamstvo
Spanish:
señal
Swedish:
pant
Turkish:
simge
pledge1[pledʒ]verb
to promise Example: He pledged his support.
Arabic:
يَعِد، يأخُذ على نَفْسِه عَهدا
Chinese (Simplified):
发誓
Chinese (Traditional):
發誓
Czech:
slíbit
Danish:
love
Dutch:
toezeggen
Estonian:
tõotama
Finnish:
taata
French:
promettre
German:
versprechen
Greek:
υπόσχομαι
Hungarian:
megígér
Icelandic:
lofa, heita
Indonesian:
menjanjikan
Italian:
promettere
Japanese:
誓う
Korean:
서약하다
Latvian:
solīt
Lithuanian:
pažadėti
Norwegian:
love, forplikte (seg)
Polish:
obiecywać
Portuguese (Brazil):
prometer
Portuguese (Portugal):
prometer
Romanian:
a promite
Russian:
обещать
Slovak:
sľúbiť
Slovenian:
obljubiti
Spanish:
prometer
Swedish:
lova
Turkish:
söz vermek
pledge2[pledʒ]verb
to give to someone when borrowing money etc Example: to pledge one's watch
Ear"nest\, n. [Prob. corrupted fr. F. arrhes, L. arra, arrha, arrhabo, Gr. 'arrabw`n, of Semitic origin, cf. Heb. [=e]r[=a]v[=o]n; or perh. fr. W. ernes, akin to Gael. earlas, perh. fr. L. arra. Cf. Arles, Earles penny.]1. Something given, or a part paid beforehand, as a pledge; pledge; handsel; a token of what is to come. Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. --2 Cor. i. 22. And from his coffers Received the golden earnest of our death. --Shak. 2. (Law) Something of value given by the buyer to the seller, by way of token or pledge, to bind the bargain and prove the sale. --Kent. Ayliffe. Benjamin. Earnest money (Law), money paid as earnest, to bind a bargain or to ratify and prove a sale. Syn: Earnest, Pledge. Usage: These words are here compared as used in their figurative sense. Earnest is not so strong as pledge. An earnest, like first fruits, gives assurance, or at least a high probability, that more is coming of the same kind; a pledge, like money deposited, affords security and ground of reliance for the future. Washington gave earnest of his talent as commander by saving his troops after Braddock's defeat; his fortitude and that of his soldiers during the winter at Valley Forge might rightly be considered a pledge of their ultimate triumph.
Pawn\, n. [OF. pan pledge, assurance, skirt, piece, F. pan skirt, lappet, piece, from L. pannus. See Pane.]1. Anything delivered or deposited as security, as for the payment of money borrowed, or of a debt; a pledge. See Pledge, n., 1. As for mortgaging or pawning, . . . men will not take pawns without use [i. e., interest]. --Bacon. 2. State of being pledged; a pledge for the fulfillment of a promise. [R.] Redeem from broking pawn the blemish'd crown. --Shak. As the morning dew is a pawn of the evening fatness. --Donne. 3. A stake hazarded in a wager. [Poetic] My life I never held but as a pawn To wage against thy enemies. --Shak. In pawn, At pawn, in the state of being pledged. "Sweet wife, my honor is at pawn." --Shak. Pawn ticket, a receipt given by the pawnbroker for an article pledged.
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Audio Help [plej] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, pledged, pledg·ing. 
