plight

plight
{{11}}plight (n.) "condition or state (usually bad)," late 12c., from Anglo-Fr. plit, O.Fr. pleit "condition" (13c.), originally "way of folding," from V.L. *plictum, from L. plicitum, neut. pp. of L. plicare "to fold, lay" (see PLY (Cf. ply) (v.)). Originally in neutral sense (as in modern Fr. en bon plit "in good condition"), sense of "harmful state" is probably from convergence with plight (v.) via notion of "entangling risk, pledge or promise with great risk to the pledger."
{{12}}plight (v.) "pledge," obsolete except in archaic plight one's troth, from O.E. pligtan "endanger," verb form of pliht "danger, risk," from P.Gmc. *pleg- (Cf. O.E. pleon "to risk the loss of, expose to danger," O.Fris., M.Du. plicht "care, carefulness," O.H.G. pfliht, Ger. pflicht "obligation, duty," M.Du. plien "to answer for, guarantee").

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Plight — Plight, n. [OE. pliht danger, engagement, AS. pliht danger, fr. ple[ o]n to risk; akin to D. plicht duty, G. pflicht, Dan. pligt. [root]28. Cf. {Play}.] 1. That which is exposed to risk; that which is plighted or pledged; security; a gage; a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plight — Plight, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Plighted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Plighting}.] [AS. plihtan to expose to danger, pliht danger;cf. D. verplichten to oblige, engage, impose a duty, G. verpflichten, Sw. f[ o]rplikta, Dan. forpligte. See {Plight}, n.] 1. To… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plight — (externer Weblink) Panorama Ansicht im Centre Georges Pompidou Plight (Aussprache: [plaɪt]; englische Verballhornung des deutschen Wortes Pflicht; deutsch übersetzt: Not, Verfall, schwierige Lage) ist ein Environment beziehungsweise eine… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Plight — Plight, n. A network; a plait; a fold; rarely a garment. [Obs.] Many a folded plight. Spenser. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plight — Plight, obs. imp. & p. p. of {Plight}, to pledge. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Plight — Plight, v. t. [OE. pliten; probably through Old French, fr. LL. plectare, L. plectere. See {Plait}, {Ply}.] To weave; to braid; to fold; to plait.[Obs.] To sew and plight. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] A plighted garment of divers colors. Milton. [1913 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • plight — plight1 [plīt] n. [ME plit, state, condition < Anglo Fr for OFr pleit, a fold, way of folding, condition (see PLAIT): sense infl. by ME plight < OE pliht: see PLIGHT2] a condition or state of affairs; esp., now, an awkward, sad, or… …   English World dictionary

  • Plight — Plight, obs. imp. & p. p. of {Pluck}. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • plight# — plight vb *promise, engage, pledge, covenant, contract plight n *predicament, dilemma, quandary, scrape, fix, jam, pickle Analogous words: situation, condition, *state, posture: *difficulty, rigor, hardship, vicissitude …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • plight — Ⅰ. plight [1] ► NOUN ▪ a dangerous or difficult situation. ORIGIN Old French plit fold . Ⅱ. plight [2] ► VERB archaic 1) solemnly pledge or promise (faith or loyalty) …   English terms dictionary

  • plight — I noun adverse circumstance, adversity, awkward situation, case, circumstance, condition, corner, crisis, critical situation, difficulty, dilemma, embarrassing position, embarrassing situation, emergency, footing, hardship, imbroglio, lot,… …   Law dictionary

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