pledge English · revision 13440

− It is [[bor|fro|plege|t=hostage, security, bail]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) probably from Frankish [[m|frk|*plegan|t=to guarantee]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from a West Germanic root meaning to have responsibility for, seen in Old Saxon plegan, to vouch for (see [[play]] and [[plight]]).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Hoad and Merriam-Webster derive the French word instead from Late Latin plebium, security, from plebīre, to assure, of unknown origin.^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)