plight
pronunciation
How to pronounce plight in British English:
UK [plaɪt]
How to pronounce plight in American English:
US [plaɪt]
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- Noun:
- a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one
- a solemn pledge of fidelity
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- Verb:
- give to in marriage
- promise solemnly and formally
Word Origin
- plight
- plight: see pleat
- plight (v.)
- "to pledge" (obsolete except in archaic plight one's troth), from Old English pligtan, plihtan "to endanger, imperil, compromise," verb form of pliht (n.) "danger, risk" (see plight (n.2)). Related: Plighted; plighting.
- plight (n.1)
- "condition or state (usually bad)," late 12c., "danger, harm, strife," from Anglo-French plit, pleit, Old French pleit, ploit "condition" (13c.), originally "way of folding," from Vulgar Latin *plictum, from Latin plicitum, neuter past participle of Latin plicare "to fold, lay" (see ply (v.1)). Originally in neutral sense (as in modern French en bon plit "in good condition"), sense of "harmful state" (and current spelling) probably is from convergence and confusion with plight (n.2) via notion of "entangling risk, pledge or promise with great risk to the pledger."
- plight (n.2)
- "pledge," mid-13c., "pledge, promise," usually involving risk or loss in default, from Old English pliht "danger, risk, peril, damage," from Proto-Germanic *pleg- (cognates: Old Frisian plicht "danger, concern, care," Middle Dutch, Dutch plicht "obligation, duty," Old High German pfliht, German Pflicht "obligation, duty" (see plight (v.)). Compare Old English plihtere "look-out man at the prow of a ship," plihtlic "perilous, dangerous."
Example
- 1. Uncertainty and austerity are deepening europe 's economic plight .
- 2. But she has been largely silent on their plight .
- 3. But he might be taken aback by the popular sympathy for his plight .
- 4. So what exactly is causing this plight ?
- 5. When the refugees reach salloum , their plight is grim .