pledge

noun countable

UK /pledʒ/

Word Forms

singular	pledge
plural	pledges

1
mainly journalisma serious and public promise to do something
Sunday’s vote was a test of the new president’s pledge of fair elections.
campaign/election pledge (=a promise made during an election):
a campaign pledge to cut taxes
make/keep/break a pledge to do something:
The rebels had failed to keep a pledge to release the two men.
Synonyms and related words
Promises
promise
commitment
guarantee
1. 1a
  an amount of money that you have promised to give an organization
  a pledge of £250 to cancer research
  Synonyms and related words
  Unspecified amounts of money
  amount
  appropriation
  a price on someone’s head
2. 1b
  old-fashioneda promise
  Synonyms and related words
  Promises
  promise
  commitment
  guarantee
2
something valuable that you give to someone as a way of promising that you will pay them money later
Synonyms and related words
Relating to borrowing money and owing money
borrowing
borrowing powers
call it quits

pledge

noun countable

US /pledʒ/

Word Forms

singular	pledge
plural	pledges

1
mainly journalisma serious and public promise to do something
Sunday’s vote was a test of the new president’s pledge of fair elections.
campaign/election pledge (=a promise made during an election):
a campaign pledge to cut taxes
make/keep/break a pledge to do something:
The rebels had failed to keep a pledge to release the two men.
Synonyms and related words
Promises
promise
commitment
guarantee
1. 1a
  an amount of money that you have promised to give an organization
  a pledge of $50 to the Red Cross
  Synonyms and related words
  Unspecified amounts of money
  amount
  appropriation
  a price on someone’s head
2. 1b
  old-fashioneda promise
  Synonyms and related words
  Promises
  promise
  commitment
  guarantee
2
a student at a U.S. college or university who has been accepted by a private club for women, called a sorority or a private club for men, called a fraternity, but who has not yet been formally made a member
Synonyms and related words
Sororities and fraternities
chapter house
frat
fraternity
3
something valuable that you give to someone as a way of promising that you will pay them money later
Synonyms and related words
Relating to borrowing money and owing money
borrowing
borrowing power
call it quits

phrases

sign/take the pledge

pledge

verb transitive

UK /pledʒ/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	pledge
he/she/it	pledges
present participle	pledging
past tense	pledged
past participle	pledged

1
mainly journalismto promise seriously and publicly to do something
pledge support:
Britain, France, and Germany were among the countries pledging their support.
pledge to do something:
He has pledged to fight for a fairer system.
pledge that:
The President has pledged that putting the economy right will be his top priority.
pledge someone/yourself to do something:
They have pledged themselves to root out state corruption.
Synonyms and related words
To make a promise
promise
commit
swear
1. 1a
  to promise a certain amount of money for a particular purpose
  The international community pledged $500 million for economic reconstruction.
  Synonyms and related words
  To make a promise
  promise
  commit
  swear
2
to give something valuable to someone as a way of promising that you will pay them money later
His home is pledged as security against the loans.
Synonyms and related words
Relating to borrowing money and owing money
borrowing
borrowing powers
call it quits

pledge

verb

US /pledʒ/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	pledge
he/she/it	pledges
present participle	pledging
past tense	pledged
past participle	pledged

1
transitive mainly journalismto promise seriously and publicly to do something
pledge support:
Britain, France, and Germany were among the countries pledging their support.
pledge to do something:
He has pledged to fight for a fairer system.
pledge someone/yourself to do something:
They have pledged themselves to root out state corruption.
pledge that:
The President has pledged that improving the economy will be his top priority.
Synonyms and related words
To make a promise
promise
commit
swear
1. 1a
  transitive to promise a certain amount of money for a particular purpose
  The international community pledged $500 million for economic reconstruction.
  Synonyms and related words
  To make a promise
  promise
  commit
  swear
2
intransitive/transitive to apply and be accepted by a sorority or fraternity at a college or university in the U.S., before being formally made a member
Synonyms and related words
Sororities and fraternities
chapter house
frat
fraternity
Cultural note
Pledging can last for several weeks, and during this time your sorority or fraternity will usually ask you to do embarrassing or unpleasant things in order to prove your loyalty to them. For example, you may have to wear your underwear over your clothes when you go to class, or do the cooking and cleaning in a fraternity or sorority house.
3
transitive to give something valuable to someone as a way of promising that you will pay them money later
His home is pledged as security against the loans.
Synonyms and related words
Relating to borrowing money and owing money
borrowing
borrowing power
call it quits

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