FluentPlex

pledge

/plɛd͡ʒ/ noun C2
  1. A solemn promise to do something.
  2. A promise to abstain from drinking alcohol.
  3. 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.
  4. A bailment of personal property to secure payment of a debt without transfer of title.
  5. The personal property so pledged, to be kept until the debt is paid.
  6. A person who has taken a pledge of allegiance to a college fraternity, but is not yet formally approved.
  7. A drinking toast.

Plural pledges

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From the library

The Fox, seeing imminent danger, approached the Lion and promised to contrive for him the capture of the Ass if the Lion would pledge his word not to harm the Fox.
Three Hundred Aesop's Fables, p. 6 · B2
It is possible that I might have placed them upon record before, but a promise of secrecy was made at the time, from which I have only been freed during the last month by the untimely death of the lady to whom the pledge was given.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, p. 34 · B2
“Or for a pledge?” said Bagheera, his white teeth bared under his lip.
The Jungle Book, p. 23 · B2
I will pledge my life that whoever stole my papers could only have come through the door.”
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, p. 67 · B2

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Words, meanings, pronunciations and translations from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0); how common each word is from wordfreq. Made into this dictionary by FluentPlex.