pledge

pledge1 [ pledʒ ] verb **

1. ) transitive MAINLY JOURNALISM to promise seriously and publicly to do something: PROMISE:

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 putting the economy right will be his top priority.

a ) transitive to promise a certain amount of money for a particular purpose:

The international community pledged $500 million for economic reconstruction.

2. ) => NOTE intransitive or 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

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.

pledge

pledge 2 [ pledʒ ] noun count *

1. ) MAINLY JOURNALISM a serious and public promise to do something: PROMISE:

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.

a ) an amount of money that you have promised to give an organization:

a pledge of $50 to the Red Cross

b ) OLD-FASHIONED a promise

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

3. ) something valuable that you give to someone as a way of promising that you will pay them money later

sign/take the pledge OLD-FASHIONED

to promise not to drink alcohol anymore