noun
Meaning 1
A dire or unfortunate situation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
A dire or unfortunate situation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A (neutral) condition or state.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Good health.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Responsibility for ensuing consequences; risk; danger; peril.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
An instance of danger or peril; a dangerous moment or situation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Blame; culpability; fault; wrong-doing; sin; crime.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
One's office; duty; charge.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
That which is exposed to risk; that which is plighted or pledged; security; a gage; a pledge.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A network; a plait; a fold; rarely a garment.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To nominate an object of value as a security against a promise; to pledge something, as one's faith, trust, allegiance, or something symbolic of this.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Specifically, to pledge (one's troth etc.) as part of a marriage ceremony.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To promise (oneself) to someone, or to do something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: reflexive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To weave; to braid; to fold; to plait.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a solemn pledge of fidelity
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: troth
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: assurance, pledge
noun
a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: predicament, quandary
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: difficulty
Narrower terms: care, corner, box, hot water
verb
promise solemnly and formally
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: pledge
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: promise, assure
Narrower terms: vow, guarantee, vouch, covenant
verb
give to in marriage
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: betroth, engage, affiance
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: vow
History
From Middle English plit (“fold, wrinkle, bad situation”), conflation of Middle English pliht, plight (“risky promise, peril”) (from Old English pliht "danger, risk"; see Etymology 2) and Anglo-Norman plit, plyte (“fold, condition”), from Old French pleit (“condition, manner of folding”) (from Vulgar Latin *plictum, from Latin plicitum (“fold”)).
From Middle English plight (“risk, danger”), from Old English pliht (“peril, risk, danger, damage, plight”), from Proto-West Germanic *plihti (“care, responsibility, duty”). A suffixed form of the root represented by Old English pleoh (“risk, danger, hurt, peril"; also "responsibility”) and plēon (“to endanger, risk”). Akin to Old English plihtan (“to endanger, compromise”). Cognate with Scots plicht (“responsibility, plight”), Dutch plicht, Low German Plicht (“duty”), German Pflicht (“duty”), Danish pligt (“duty”), Yiddish פֿליכט (flikht). More at pledge.
From Middle English pliȝt, plight, plyt, pleit, from Anglo-Norman pleit (“pleat, fold”). More at plait.
From Middle English plyghten, plyȝten, pleyȝten, pleiten, pliten, from the noun (see below).
Across languages
45 source translations are retained for this English entry.