Meanings
verbpledge (third-person singular simple present pledges, present participle pledging, simple past and past participle pledged)
present singular third person pledges · participle present pledging · participle past pledged · past pledged
- To make a solemn promise (to do something).
pledge allegiance to the flag
1 more example
In those battles there was the proud waving of eagle-feathered war bonnets and the strong courage of warriors who dared to carry a sacred buffalo shield, although a man who carried one was pledged not to retreat.
1950, Dorothy M. Johnson, Scars of Honor; in Indian Country, London: Corgi, 1961, page 142Synonyms: undertake
- transitiveTo give assurance of friendship by the act of drinking; to drink to one's health.
Reach me my golden cup that stands by thee, And pledge me in it first for courtesy.
1852, Matthew Arnold, Tristram and Iseult1 more example
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.]
1773, Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer
nounpledge (plural pledges)
plural 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.
2021 April 22, Brad Plumer, Nadja Popovich, “The U.S. Has a New Climate Goal. How Does It Stack Up Globally?”, in The New York Times, →ISSNSynonyms: commitment, undertaking
- A promise to abstain from drinking alcohol.
Synonyms: 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.
1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], →OCLC, Act I - lawA bailment of personal property to secure payment of a debt without transfer of title.
- university slangA person who has taken a pledge of allegiance to a college fraternity, but is not yet formally approved.
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo make a solemn promise (to do something).
Similar
nounA solemn promise to do something.
Similar
nounA promise to abstain from drinking alcohol.
Similar
nounThe personal property so pledged, to be kept until the debt is paid.
Similar
More synonyms by meaning
nouna binding commitment to do or give or refrain from something
Similar
Broader
verbpay (an amount of money) as a contribution to a charity or service, especially at regular intervals
Similar
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Frankish*plehan“to pledge; to support; to guarantee”
- Medieval Latinplevium
- Old Frenchplege
- Anglo-Normanplege
- Middle Englishplege
- Englishpledge
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.
More words from Middle English, Anglo-Norman, Old French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek προπῑ́νω, ἐγγύη
- προπῑ́νω (propī́nō)to drink
- ἐγγύη (engúē)delivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
- ῥύσιον (rhúsion)delivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
- ὑποθήκη (hupothḗkē)delivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Arabic تَعَهَّدَ, ضَمَان
- تَعَهَّدَ (taʕahhada)to make a solemn promise
- ضَمَان (ḍamān)solemn promise
- تَعَهُّد (taʕahhud)solemn promise
Bengali ওয়াদা করা, ওয়াদা
- ওয়াদা করা (ōẇada kora)to make a solemn promise
- ওয়াদা (ōẇada)solemn promise
- জামানত (jamanot)delivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
- জমানত (jomanot)delivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Bulgarian давам обет, залагам
- давам обет (davam obet)to make a solemn promise
- залагам (zalagam)to deposit something as a security; to pawn
- вдигам тост (vdigam tost)to drink
- тост (tost)drinking toast
- обе́т (obét)solemn promise
- обеща́ние (obeštánie)solemn promise
- зало́г (zalóg)delivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Catalan prometre, penyorar
- prometreto make a solemn promise
- penyorarto deposit something as a security; to pawn
- empenyorarto deposit something as a security; to pawn
- promesasolemn promise
- juramentsolemn promise
- penyoradelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Chinese Cantonese 誓
- 誓 (sai⁶)to make a solemn promise
Chinese Mandarin 發誓 /发誓, 保證 /保证
- 發誓 /发誓 (fāshì)to make a solemn promise
- 保證 /保证 (bǎozhèng)to make a solemn promise
- 抵押 (dǐyā)to deposit something as a security; to pawn
- 誓言 (shìyán)solemn promise
- 誓詞 /誓词 (shìcí)solemn promise
- 保證 /保证 (bǎozhèng)solemn promise
- 質權 /质权 (zhìquán)delivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Czech zastavit, slib
- zastavitto deposit something as a security; to pawn
- slibsolemn promise
- zástavadelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
- zárukadelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Danish pant
- pantdelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Dutch plechtig beloven, verpanden
- plechtig belovento make a solemn promise
- verpandento deposit something as a security; to pawn
- schachtperson who has taken a pledge of allegiance to a fraternity
- geloftesolemn promise
- beloftesolemn promise
- eedsolemn promise
- panddelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Estonian rebane, pant
- rebaneperson who has taken a pledge of allegiance to a fraternity
- pantdelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Finnish luvata, sitoutua
- luvatato make a solemn promise
- sitoutuato make a solemn promise
- lupautuato make a solemn promise
- pantatato deposit something as a security; to pawn
- juoda jonkun maljato drink
- raittiuslupauspromise to abstain from drinking alcohol
- kokelasperson who has taken a pledge of allegiance to a fraternity
- maljapuhedrinking toast
- lupaussolemn promise
- panttidelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
French promettre, mettre en gage
- promettreto make a solemn promise
- mettre en gageto deposit something as a security; to pawn
- sermentsolemn promise
- gagedelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
German geloben, feierlich versprechen
- gelobento make a solemn promise
- feierlich versprechento make a solemn promise
- verpfändento deposit something as a security; to pawn
- als Sicherheit hinterlegento deposit something as a security; to pawn
- Brüderschaft trinkento drink
- auf die Gesundheit anstoßento drink
- Nüchternheitsgelöbnispromise to abstain from drinking alcohol
- Abstinenzverpflichtungpromise to abstain from drinking alcohol
- Fuchsperson who has taken a pledge of allegiance to a fraternity
- Trinkspruchdrinking toast
- Gelöbnissolemn promise
- feierliche Zusagesolemn promise
- feierliches Versprechensolemn promise
- Schwursolemn promise
- Pfanddelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
- hinterlegte Sicherheitdelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Greek ενέχυρο
- ενέχυρο (enéchyro)delivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Hebrew נִשְׁבַּע
- נִשְׁבַּע (nishbá)to make a solemn promise
Hindi वचन, प्रण
- वचन (vacan)to make a solemn promise
- प्रण (praṇ)to make a solemn promise
- प्रतिज्ञा (pratijñā)to make a solemn promise
Hungarian ígér, megígér
- ígérto make a solemn promise
- megígérto make a solemn promise
- esküszikto make a solemn promise
- szavát adjato make a solemn promise
- elkötelezi magátto make a solemn promise
- zálogba adto deposit something as a security; to pawn
- elzálogosítto deposit something as a security; to pawn
- biztosítékul, fedezetül adto deposit something as a security; to pawn
- iszik egészségére (valaki)to drink
- tósztdrinking toast
- fogadalomsolemn promise
- ígéretsolemn promise
- esküsolemn promise
- zálogdelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Icelandic sverja, lofa
- sverjato make a solemn promise
- lofato make a solemn promise
Italian promettere, impegnarsi
- promettereto make a solemn promise
- impegnarsito make a solemn promise
- promessa solennesolemn promise
- pegnodelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Japanese 公約する, 保証する
- 公約する (kōyaku suru)to make a solemn promise
- 保証する (hoshō suru)to make a solemn promise
- 抵当 (teitō)solemn promise
- 保証 (hoshō)solemn promise
- 質権 (shichiken)delivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Korean 서약하다, 보증하다
- 서약하다 (seoyakhada)to make a solemn promise
- 보증하다 (bojeunghada)to make a solemn promise
- 서약 (seoyak)solemn promise
- 맹세 (maengse)solemn promise
- 보증 (bojeung)solemn promise
- 질권 (jilgwon)delivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Latin spondere, vovere
- spondereto make a solemn promise
- vovereto make a solemn promise
- pignusdelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Latvian ķīla
- ķīlato deposit something as a security; to pawn
Malay ikrar, ikrar
- ikrarto make a solemn promise
- ikrarsolemn promise
Māori oati, whakaoati
- oatito make a solemn promise
- whakaoatito make a solemn promise
- takohasolemn promise
- kupu taurangisolemn promise
- tāmanadelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Norwegian Bokmål pant
- pantdelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Persian گرو
- گرو (gerow)delivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Polish obiecać, złożyć zastaw
- obiecaćto make a solemn promise
- złożyć zastawto deposit something as a security; to pawn
- obietnicasolemn promise
- zastawdelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Portuguese prometer, caucionar
- prometerto make a solemn promise
- caucionarto deposit something as a security; to pawn
- promessasolemn promise
- penhordelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Romanian promite, garanta
- promiteto make a solemn promise
- garantato make a solemn promise
- jurato make a solemn promise
- legământsolemn promise
- promisiune (fermă)solemn promise
- jurământsolemn promise
- gajdelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Russian обеща́ть, пообеща́ть
- обеща́ть (obeščátʹ)to make a solemn promise
- пообеща́ть (poobeščátʹ)to make a solemn promise
- заверя́ть (zaverjátʹ)to make a solemn promise
- заве́рить (zavéritʹ)to make a solemn promise
- кля́сться (kljástʹsja)to make a solemn promise
- покля́сться (pokljástʹsja)to make a solemn promise
- отдава́ть в зало́г (otdavátʹ v zalóg)to deposit something as a security; to pawn
- отда́ть в зало́г (otdátʹ v zalóg)to deposit something as a security; to pawn
- закла́дывать (zakládyvatʹ)to deposit something as a security; to pawn
- заложи́ть (založítʹ)to deposit something as a security; to pawn
- тост (tost)drinking toast
- обе́т (obét)solemn promise
- обеща́ние (obeščánije)solemn promise
- заро́к (zarók)solemn promise
- зало́г (zalóg)delivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Scottish Gaelic gealltanas
- gealltanassolemn promise
Slovak zástava, sľub
- zástavato make a solemn promise
- sľubsolemn promise
- prísahasolemn promise
- zástavadelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
- zárukadelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Spanish comprometerse, juramento
- comprometerseto make a solemn promise
- juramentopromise to abstain from drinking alcohol
- mandapromise to abstain from drinking alcohol
- promesa solemnesolemn promise
- juramentosolemn promise
- prendadelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Swedish underpant, pant
- underpantsolemn promise
- pantdelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Thai ปฏิญาณ, จำนำ
- ปฏิญาณ (bpà-dtì-yaan)to make a solemn promise
- จำนำ (jam-nam)to deposit something as a security; to pawn
- จำนำ (jam-nam)delivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Turkish ant içmek, söz vermek
- ant içmekto make a solemn promise
- söz vermekto make a solemn promise
- yemin etmekto make a solemn promise
- yemin billah etmekto make a solemn promise
- ipotek ettirmekto deposit something as a security; to pawn
- antsolemn promise
- sözsolemn promise
- yeminsolemn promise
Ukrainian тост, обі́тниця
- тост (tost)drinking toast
- обі́тниця (obítnycja)solemn promise
- обі́т (obít)solemn promise
- обіця́нка (obicjánka)solemn promise
- зарі́к (zarík)solemn promise
- заро́к (zarók)solemn promise
- заста́ва (zastáva)delivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Vietnamese cam kết, thề
- cam kếtto make a solemn promise
- thềto make a solemn promise
- cầm đồdelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Welsh gwystl
- gwystldelivery of personal property to secure the payment of a debt
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with pledge
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
pledge. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pledge
MLA
“pledge.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pledge. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pledge,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pledge.
Source: pledge on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.