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   pledge

   /plɛdʒ/

   noun

   • 1. a solemn promise or undertaking: "the conference ended with a joint pledge to limit pollution" Similar promiseundertakingvowwordword of honourcommitmentassuranceoathcovenantbondagreementguaranteewarrant
   • ▪ a promise of a donation to charity: "appeals for emergency relief met with pledges totalling £250,000,000"
   • ▪ a solemn undertaking to abstain from alcohol: "she persuaded Arthur to take the pledge"
   • 2. a thing that is given as security for the fulfilment of a contract or the payment of a debt and is liable to forfeiture in the event of failure: "he had given the object as a pledge to a creditor" Similar suretybondsecuritycollateralguaranteedepositpawnarchaic:gageearnest
   • ▪ a thing given as a token of love, favour, or loyalty: "I have no intention of giving you anything that could be held against me as a pledge" Similar tokensymbolsignmarktestimonyproofevidencebadge
   • 3. the drinking of a person's health; a toast. archaic

   verb

   • 1. commit (a person or organization) by a solemn promise: "the government pledged itself to deal with environmental problems"
   • ▪ formally declare or promise that something is or will be the case: "the Prime Minister pledged that there would be no increase in VAT" Similar promisegive one's wordvowsweargive an assurancegive an undertakingundertaketake an oathswear an oathengagecontractcommit oneselfbind oneselfdeclareaffirmavowstaterare:asseverate
   • ▪ solemnly undertake to do something: "they pledged to continue the campaign for funding"
   • ▪ undertake formally to give: "Japan pledged $100 million in humanitarian aid" Similar undertake to givepromise (to give)donatecontributegivemake a gift ofput oneself down forput upcovenant
   • 2. give as security on a loan: "the creditor to whom the land is pledged" Similar mortgageput up as collateralguaranteepawnarchaic:gageplight
   • 3. drink to the health of: archaic "in his hand a sculptured goblet, as he pledged the merchant kings"

   Word Origin Middle English (denoting a person acting as surety for another): from Old French plege, from medieval Latin plebium, perhaps related to the Germanic base of plight2.

   Derivatives

   • 1. pledger noun

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • P

     3

   • L

     1

   • E

     1

   • D

     2

   • G

     2

   • E

     1

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