PLEDGE
assurance, pledge
(noun) 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”
pledge, toast
(noun) a drink in honor of or to the health of a person or event
pledge
(noun) someone accepted for membership but not yet fully admitted to the group
pledge
(noun) a deposit of personal property as security for a debt; “his saxophone was in pledge”
pledge, plight
(verb) promise solemnly and formally; “I pledge that I will honor my wife”
pledge
(verb) bind or secure by a pledge; “I was pledged to silence”
pledge
(verb) give as a guarantee; “I pledge my honor”
toast, drink, pledge, salute, wassail
(verb) propose a toast to; “Let us toast the birthday girl!”; “Let’s drink to the New Year”
pledge, subscribe
(verb) 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”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
pledge (third-person singular simple present pledges, present participle pledging, simple past and past participle pledged)
To make a solemn promise (to do something).
To deposit something as a security; to pawn.
(transitive) To give assurance of friendship by the act of drinking; to drink to one's health.
Noun
pledge (plural pledges)
A solemn promise to do something.
(with the) A promise to abstain from drinking alcohol.
A security to guarantee payment of a debt.
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.
A person who has taken a pledge of allegiance to a college fraternity, but is not yet formally approved.
A drinking toast.
Synonyms
• (promise): commitment
• (security to guarantee payment): collateral
Source: Wiktionary
Pledge, n. Etym: [OF. plege, pleige, pledge, guaranty, LL. plegium,
plivium; akin to OF. plevir to bail, guaranty, perhaps fr. L.
praebere to proffer, offer (sc. fidem a trust, a promise of
security), but cf. also E. play. sq. root28. Cf. Prebend, Replevin.]
1. (Law)
Definition: The transfer of possession of personal property from a debtor
to a creditor as security for a debt or engagement; also, the
contract created between the debtor and creditor by a thing being so
delivered or deposited, forming a species of bailment; also, that
which is so delivered or deposited; something put in pawn.
Note: Pledge is ordinarily confined to personal property; the title
or ownership does not pass by it; possession is essential to it. In
all these points it differs from a mortgage [see Mortgage]; and in
the last, from the hypotheca of the Roman law. See Hypotheca. Story.
Kent.
2. (Old Eng. Law)
Definition: A person who undertook, or became responsible, for another; a
bail; a surety; a hostage. "I am Grumio's pledge." Shak.
3. A hypothecation without transfer of possession.
4. Anything given or considered as a security for the performance of
an act; a guarantee; as, mutual interest is the best pledge for the
performance of treaties. "That voice, their liveliest pledge of
hope." Milton.
5. A promise or agreement by which one binds one's self to do, or to
refrain from doing, something; especially, a solemn promise in
writing to refrain from using intoxicating liquors or the like; as,
to sign the pledge; the mayor had made no pledges.
6. A sentiment to which assent is given by drinking one's health; a
toast; a health. Dead pledge. Etym: [A translation of LL. mortuum
vadium.] (Law) A mortgage. See Mortgage.
– Living pledge. Etym: [A translation of LL. vivum vadium.] (Law)
The conveyance of an estate to another for money borrowed, to be held
by him until the debt is paid out of the rents and profits.
– To hold in pledge, to keep as security.
– To put in pledge, to pawn; to give as security.
Syn.
– See Earnest.
Pledge, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pledged; p. pr. & vb. n. Pledging.] Etym:
[Cf. OF. pleiger to give security. See Pledge, n.]
1. To deposit, as a chattel, in pledge or pawn; to leave in
possession of another as security; as, to pledge one's watch.
2. To give or pass as a security; to guarantee; to engage; to plight;
as, to pledge one's word and honor.
We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our
sacred honor. The Declaration of Independence.
3. To secure performance of, as by a pledge. [Obs.]
To pledge my vow, I give my hand. Shak.
4. To bind or engage by promise or declaration; to engage solemnly;
as, to pledge one's self.
5. To invite another to drink, by drinking of the cup first, and then
handing it to him, as a pledge of good will; hence, to drink the
health of; to toast.
Pledge me, my friend, and drink till thou be'st wise. Cowley.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition