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Pledge   /plɛdʒ/   Listen
noun
Pledge  n.  
1.
(Law) 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.
2.
(Old Eng. Law) A person who undertook, or became responsible, for another; a bail; a surety; a hostage. "I am Grumio's pledge."
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."
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. (Law) A mortgage. See Mortgage.
Living pledge. (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.
Synonyms: See Earnest.


verb
Pledge  v. t.  (past & past part. pledged; pres. part. pledging)  
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."
3.
To secure performance of, as by a pledge. (Obs.) "To pledge my vow, I give my hand."
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."





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Pledge" Quotes from Famous Books



... left a pledge behind". Caldecott cleverly converted this line into the keynote of the poem, by making the ...
— The Complete Poetical Works of Oliver Goldsmith • Oliver Goldsmith
... matter was mooted to Mr. Barrett, he evinced his repugnance to the idea. To him even the most foolish assertion of his own was a sacred pledge. He called it "pride in his word": others recognised it as the very arrogance of obstinacy. He refused to countenance the marriage in any way, refused to have Browning's name mentioned in his presence, and even when his daughter told him that she had definitely made up her mind, ...
— Life of Robert Browning • William Sharp
... actors in this tragedy came up to their work at last, that of all these twenty-three wounds only one was a mortal one. In fact, it is probable that, while all of the conspirators struck the victim in their turn, to fulfill the pledge which they had given to one another that they would every one inflict a wound, each one hoped that the fatal blow would be given, after all, by some other hand ...
— History of Julius Caesar • Jacob Abbott
... of Bologna and Ferrara, together with the Romagna; consent to the incorporation into France of Avignon and the Venaissin, the two papal possessions in the Rhone valley which had already been annexed; and the temporary delivery of Ancona as a pledge for the fulfilment of these engagements; further still, the dispersion of the papal army, with satisfaction for the killing in a street row of Basseville, the French plenipotentiary. This, however, was far short of the annihilation of the papacy as a temporal power. ...
— The Life of Napoleon Bonaparte - Vol. I. (of IV.) • William Milligan Sloane
... told that they were free, especially on New-Year's Day, and, being unversed in politics, they do not understand, as well as we do, the importance of each additional guaranty. But the chaplain spoke to them afterwards very effectively, as usual; and then I proposed to them to hold up their hands and pledge themselves to be faithful to those still in bondage. They entered heartily into this, and the scene was quite impressive, beneath the great oak-branches. I heard afterwards that only one man refused to raise his hand, saying bluntly that his wife was out of slavery with him, and he did not ...
— The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 15, No. 87, January, 1865 • Various


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