different between avowal vs pledge

English

Etymology

avow +? -al

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -a??l

Noun

avowal (countable and uncountable, plural avowals)

1. An open declaration of affirmation or admission of knowledge.
   • 1813, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 11, ^[1]

     Elizabeth's astonishment was beyond expression. She stared, coloured, doubted, and was silent. This he considered sufficient encouragement, and the avowal of all that he felt and had long felt for her, immediately followed.

   • 1920, Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence, Book I, Chapter I, ^[2]

     It was only that afternoon that May Welland had let him guess that she “cared” (New York’s consecrated phrase of maiden avowal), and already his imagination, leaping ahead of the engagement ring, the betrothal kiss and the march from Lohengrin, pictured her at his side in some scene of old European witchery.

   • 2004, Alan Hollinghurst, The Line of Beauty, Bloomsbury, 2005, Chapter 5,

     “That's because I love you,” said Nick, singsong with the truth.

     Leo took in this chance for an echoing avowal; it was a brief deep silence, as tactical as it was undiscussable.

Synonyms

• averral
• acknowledgement
• testimony

Related terms

• avow
• avowed
• avowable
• avowry
• vow

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English plege, from Anglo-Norman plege, from Old French plege (Modern French pleige) from Medieval Latin plevium, plebium, from plebi? (“I 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 pl?on (“to risk, endanger”). More at plight.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pl?d?/
• Rhymes: -?d?

Verb

pledge (third-person singular simple present pledges, present participle pledging, simple past and past participle pledged)

1. To make a solemn promise (to do something).

2. To deposit something as a security; to pawn.
3. (transitive) To give assurance of friendship by the act of drinking; to drink to one's health.
   • 1773, Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer

     HARDCASTLE [Taking the cup.] I hope you'll find it to your mind. I have prepared it with my own hands, and I believe you'll own the ingredients are tolerable. Will you be so good as to pledge me, sir? Here, Mr. Marlow, here is to our better acquaintance. [Drinks.]

   • 1852, Matthew Arnold, Tristram and Iseult

     Reach me my golden cup that stands by thee,

     And pledge me in it first for courtesy.

Translations

Noun

pledge (plural pledges)

1. A solemn promise to do something.

   Synonym: commitment

   1. (with the) A promise to abstain from drinking alcohol.
2. (law) A bailment of personal property to secure payment of a debt without transfer of title.
   1. The personal property so pledged, to be kept until the debt is payed.

      Synonym: collateral

3. A person who has taken a pledge of allegiance to a college fraternity, but is not yet formally approved.
4. A drinking toast.

Derived terms

• antipledge, antipledging
• pledgeless

Translations

See also

• oath
• vow