pledge

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 ~ (to do sth) a serious promise: a pledge of help / support / loyalty * Will the government honour its election pledge not to raise taxes? * Management has given a pledge that there will be no job losses this year. 2 a sum of money or sth valuable that you leave with sb to prove that you will do sth or pay back money that you owe IDIOMS sign / take the pledge (old-fashioned) to make a promise never to drink alcohol verb 1 ~ sth (to sb/sth) to formally promise to give or do sth: [VN] Japan has pledged $100 million in humanitarian aid. * The government pledged their support for the plan. * We all had to pledge allegiance to the flag (= state that we are loyal to our country). * [Vtoinf] The group has pledged to continue campaigning. * [V(that)] The group has pledged that they will continue campaigning. 2 ~ sb / yourself (to sth) to make sb or yourself formally promise to do sth: [VN] They were all pledged to secrecy. * [VNtoinf] The government has pledged itself to root out corruption. 3 [VN] to leave sth with sb as a pledge(2) 4 (AmE) to promise to become a junior member of a FRATERNITY or SORORITY: [V] Do you think you'll pledge this semester? * [VN] My brother pledged Sigma NU.