pledge
English · Thesaurus
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pledge
- /plɛd͡ʒ/
Rhymes with -ɛdʒ
Where it comes from
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.
verb pledges · pledging · pledged
-
To make a solemn promise (to do something).
pledge allegiance to the flag
Similar: undertake
- To deposit something as a security; to pawn.
- 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.]
noun pledges
-
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.
Similar: commitment, undertaking
-
A promise to abstain from drinking alcohol.
Similar: commitment, undertaking
- 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.
- 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.
Similar: collateral
- A person who has taken a pledge of allegiance to a college fraternity, but is not yet formally approved.
- A drinking toast.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: assurance, salute, plight, drink, toast, vow, promise, oath, vowed, swear, guaranteed, committed, guarantee, ensure, assured, commit
Translations
Every language
verb to make a solemn promise
| Español | comprometerse |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 서약하다 seoyakhada, 보증하다 bojeunghada |
| 日本語 | 公約する kōyaku suru, 保証する hoshō suru |
| 中文 | 發誓 /发誓 fāshì, 保證 /保证 bǎozhèng |
| हिन्दी | वचन vacan, प्रण praṇ, प्रतिज्ञा pratijñā |
| Português | prometer |
| Français | promettre |
| Deutsch | geloben, feierlich versprechen |
| Italiano | promettere, impegnarsi |
| Română | promite, garanta, jura |
| Русский | обеща́ть obeščátʹ, пообеща́ть poobeščátʹ, заверя́ть zaverjátʹ, заве́рить zavéritʹ, кля́сться kljástʹsja, покля́сться pokljástʹsja |
| Tiếng Việt | cam kết, thề |
| العربية | تَعَهَّدَ taʕahhada |
| עברית | נִשְׁבַּע nishbá |
verb to deposit something as a security; to pawn
| 中文 | 抵押 dǐyā |
|---|---|
| Português | caucionar |
| Français | mettre en gage |
| Deutsch | verpfänden, als Sicherheit hinterlegen |
| Русский | отдава́ть в зало́г otdavátʹ v zalóg, отда́ть в зало́г otdátʹ v zalóg, закла́дывать zakládyvatʹ, заложи́ть založítʹ |
verb to drink
| Deutsch | Brüderschaft trinken, auf die Gesundheit anstoßen |
|---|
noun solemn promise
| Español | promesa solemne, juramento |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 서약 seoyak, 맹세 maengse, 보증 bojeung |
| 日本語 | 抵当 teitō, 保証 hoshō |
| 中文 | 誓言 shìyán, 誓詞 /誓词 shìcí, 保證 /保证 bǎozhèng |
| Português | promessa |
| Français | serment |
| Deutsch | Gelöbnis, feierliche Zusage, feierliches Versprechen, Schwur |
| Italiano | promessa solenne |
| Română | legământ, promisiune (fermă), jurământ |
| Русский | обе́т obét, обеща́ние obeščánije, заро́к zarók |
| العربية | ضَمَان ḍamān, تَعَهُّد taʕahhud |
noun delivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
| Español | prenda |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 질권 jilgwon |
| 日本語 | 質権 shichiken |
| 中文 | 質權 /质权 zhìquán |
| Português | penhor |
| Français | gage |
| Deutsch | Pfand, hinterlegte Sicherheit |
| Italiano | pegno |
| Ελληνικά | ενέχυρο enéchyro |
| Română | gaj |
| Русский | зало́г zalóg |
| Tiếng Việt | cầm đồ |
noun promise to abstain from drinking alcohol
| Español | juramento, manda |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Nüchternheitsgelöbnis, Abstinenzverpflichtung |
noun person who has taken a pledge of allegiance to a fraternity
| Deutsch | Fuchs |
|---|
noun drinking toast
| Deutsch | Trinkspruch |
|---|---|
| Русский | тост tost |
Talk about this word "pledge." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/pledge. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. pledge. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/pledge "pledge." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/pledge.Cite this
@misc{pledge_2026,
title = {pledge},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/pledge},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
