Pledge

Use this forum to suggest Good Words for Professor Beard.
tcward
Wordmaster
Posts: 789
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 5:18 pm
Location: The Old North State

Pledge

Postby tcward » Fri Feb 11, 2005 3:41 pm

I know election year was last year, but this sounds like an interesting word...

From etymonline.com:
1348, "surety, bail," from O.Fr. plege (Fr. pleige) "hostage, security, bail," probably from Frank. *plegan "to guarantee," from a W.Gmc. root meaning "have responsibility for" (cf. O.Saxon plegan "vouch for," O.H.G. pflegan "to care for, be accustomed to," O.E. pleon "to risk, expose to danger"). Meaning "allegiance vow attested by drinking with another" is from 1635. Sense of "solemn promise" first recorded 1814, though this meaning is from c.1400 in the verb. Weekley notes the "curious contradiction" in pledge "to toast with a drink" (1546) and pledge "the vow to abstain from drinking" (1833). Noun meaning "student who has agreed to join a fraternity or sorority" dates from 1901.
Also seems like there should be some connection between pledge and fledgeling...

-Tim

KatyBr
Wordmaster
Posts: 959
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 5:28 pm

lol

Postby KatyBr » Fri Feb 11, 2005 3:47 pm

I agree

Katy


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