pledge
/plɛd͡ʒ/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.00 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
1
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To give assurance of friendship by the act of drinking; to drink to one's health.
Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "pledge allegiance to the flag"
- "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.]"
- "Reach me my golden cup that stands by thee, And pledge me in it first for courtesy."
- "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."
- "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."
Etymology
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.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: plege, plevium, *plehan