different between liability vs pledge

English

Etymology

From liable +? -ity.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /la???b?l?ti/
• Hyphenation: li?abil?ity

Noun

liability (countable and uncountable, plural liabilities)

1. An obligation, debt or responsibility owed to someone.
   • 1901, W. W. Jacobs, The Monkey's Paw

     "I was to say that Maw and Meggins disclaim all responsibility," continued the other. "They admit no liability at all, but in consideration of your son's services they wish to present you with a certain sum as compensation."

2. A handicap that holds something back, a drawback, someone or something that is a burden to whoever is required to take care of them; an individual or action that exposes others to greater risk.
   • 2016 January 31, "Is Huma Abedin Hillary Clinton’s Secret Weapon or Her Next Big Problem?," Vanity Fair (retrieved 21 January 2016):

     Asked if at some point Huma becomes a liability to Hillary, the long-term Clinton insider replies, “It’s like anything else. I don’t think so, but you know I don’t have any idea. Hillary is very loyal, but she’s obviously pragmatic.”

3. The likelihood of something happening.
4. The condition of being susceptible to something.

Antonyms

• asset

Derived terms

• enterprise liability
• limited liability
• limited liability company
• secondary liability
• strict liability
• vicarious liability

Translations

Anagrams

• alibility

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