# pledge

> English word · Verb · IPA /plɛd͡ʒ/ · frequency rank #7,167

## Definitions
1. To make a solemn promise (to do something).
2. To deposit something as a security; to pawn.
3. To give assurance of friendship by the act of drinking; to drink to one's health.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **plunge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pledge-vs-plunge)
- **pledged** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pledge-vs-pledged)
- **pled** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pled-vs-pledge)
- **please** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/please-vs-pledge)

## Common misspellings (9)
`lpedge`, `peldge`, `pldege`, `pleddge`, `pledeg`, `pledgge`, `plegde`, `plledge`, `ppledge`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/pledge