plight
nounnounverbverbnounattested in dialogue
- //plaɪt//
A dire or unfortunate situation.
noun
- 1
A dire or unfortunate situation.
Though we say we are quite clear about it and understand when someone uses the expression, unlike that other expression, maybe we're in the same plight with regard to them both.
Gosling's plight worsened when he was soon shown a red card for a foul on Martin.
Despite spending £1 billion of its own resources, that balanced budget became impossible and forced TfL to issue a 'Section 114' notice of impending financial plight and go to the government for support.
- 2
archaicA (neutral) condition or state.
although hee live in as good plight and health as may be, yet he chafeth, he scoldeth, he brawleth, he fighteth, he sweareth, and biteth, as the most boistrous and tempestuous master of France[…].
- 3
obsoleteGood health.
All wayes shee sought him to restore to plight, / With herbs, with charms, with counsel, and with teares[…].
Etymology
From Middle English plit (“fold, wrinkle, bad situation”), conflation of Middle English pliht, plight (“risky promise, peril”) (from Old English pliht "danger, risk"; see Etymology 2) and Anglo-Norman plit, plyte (“fold, condition”), from Old French pleit (“condition, manner of folding”) (from Vulgar Latin *plictum, from Latin plicitum (“fold”)).
noun
- 1
Responsibility for ensuing consequences; risk; danger; peril.
- 2
An instance of danger or peril; a dangerous moment or situation.
- 3
Blame; culpability; fault; wrong-doing; sin; crime.
- 4
One's office; duty; charge.
- 5
archaicThat which is exposed to risk; that which is plighted or pledged; security; a gage; a pledge.
Haply, when I shall wed, That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry Half my love with him, half my care and duty
Etymology
From Middle English plight (“risk, danger”), from Old English pliht (“peril, risk, danger, damage, plight”), from Proto-West Germanic *plihti (“care, responsibility, duty”). A suffixed form of the root represented by Old English pleoh (“risk, danger, hurt, peril"; also "responsibility”) and plēon (“to endanger, risk”). Akin to Old English plihtan (“to endanger, compromise”). Cognate with Scots plicht (“responsibility, plight”), Dutch plicht, Low German Plicht (“duty”), German Pflicht (“duty”), Danish pligt (“duty”), Yiddish פֿליכט (flikht). More at pledge.
verb
- 1
archaicTo nominate an object of value as a security against a promise; to pledge something, as one's faith, trust, allegiance, or something symbolic of this.
"Travel shall I and woo; Plight me shall I a flower; Try shall I my sword so good, To my weal or my woe in the stour."
- 2
Specifically, to pledge (one's troth etc.) as part of a marriage ceremony.
- 3
To promise (oneself) to someone, or to do something.
I ask what I have done to deserve it, one daughter hobnobbing with radicals and the other planning to plight herself to a criminal.
verb
- 1
obsoleteTo weave; to braid; to fold; to plait.
ſhe wore a plighted Garmend of divers colours,
Etymology
From Middle English plyghten, plyȝten, pleyȝten, pleiten, pliten, from the noun (see below).
noun
- 1
obsoleteA network; a plait; a fold; rarely a garment.
Many a folded plight.
Etymology
From Middle English pliȝt, plight, plyt, pleit, from Anglo-Norman pleit (“pleat, fold”). More at plait.
Forms
- plural
- plights
- past tense
- plighted
- past participle
- plighted
- present participle
- plighting
- third person singular
- plights