- pledge
- ▪ I. pledge pledge 1 [pledʒ] noun [countable]1. JOURNALISM a formal, usually public, promise that you will do something:
• the President's pledge to make employment his priority
2. LAW FINANCE something that you offer as security (= an asset that lenders can take if you do not repay) when you borrow money:• He may have given the painting to someone as a pledge to secure a loan.
[m0] ▪ II. pledge pledge 2 verb [transitive]1. JOURNALISM to make a formal, usually public, promise that you will do something:• Several national charities have pledged money to build the centre.
pledge to do something• The government pledged to draw up a program for growth and employment.
2. LAW FINANCE when you borrow money, to offer something you own as security (= something that lenders have a right to take and sell if you do not repay):• He will pledge virtually all of his assets, including his personal residences, to secure his borrowings.
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Ⅰ.pledge UK US /pledʒ/ verb [T]► to make a formal promise to do something: pledge to do sth »The UK chief executive has pledged to slash costs by £150m a year by 2014.
pledge $32m/£100,000, etc. to/for sth »EU leaders pledged $1.2 billion to the region over the next 18 months.
pledge that sth »He pledged that a reduction in the burden of taxation will become the central economic objective of the government.
► LAW to give something valuable to a person or organization that has lent you money, which they can keep if you fail to pay back the loan: pledge sth as collateral/security »Shares are frequently pledged as collateral for loans.
Ⅱ.pledge UK US /pledʒ/ noun [C]► a formal promise to do something: »a campaign/election/manifesto pledge
a pledge to do sth »Analysts warn that OPEC's pledge to ramp up oil production in order to ease record crude prices will not have the desired effect.
make/honour/sign a pledge »Campaigners have accused Congress of failing to honour its US funding pledges.
a pledge that sth »Their goal of increasing electricity production from renewables by 40% has been reinforced by a pledge that they will not support further development of nuclear power.
► LAW something valuable that is given to a person or organization that has lent you money, which they can keep if you fail to pay back the loan: »Serious financial irregularities took place, including the pledge of already paid-for securities.
Financial and business terms. 2012.
