ENGLISH
REFERENCE

pledge

n. countable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈpɫɛdʒ// UK //plˈɛdʒ// pledge

n. a serious promise to do something or to give money. You use this when you want to show you are very committed to a goal.

n. a solemn promise or undertaking, often involving a financial commitment or a formal oath of loyalty.


SIMPLE

The politician made a pledge to lower taxes.

CONTEXTUAL

The university received a million-dollar pledge from a former student to build a new library.

COMPLEX

Despite the public pledge to reduce carbon emissions by half, the corporation continued to invest heavily in fossil fuel extraction projects across the globe.

Synonyms
Origin

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.

Usage

Often followed by the preposition 'of' or an infinitive 'to' phrase.

Idioms1 entry

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