plight Meaning & Definition
What Does Plight Mean?
As a noun, plight means A dire or unfortunate situation. It is also used to mean A (neutral) condition or state. As a verb, it means To expose to risk; to pledge. As a verb, it means To weave; to braid; to fold; to plait.
Plight in Brief
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /plaɪt/ |
| Synonyms | engage, quandary and predicament |
| Plural | plights |
| Verb forms | plights, plighting, plighted |
Plight Definition (Noun)
- A dire or unfortunate situation.
- A (neutral) condition or state.
- Good health.
Noun
- Responsibility for ensuing consequences; risk; danger; peril.
- An instance of danger or peril; a dangerous moment or situation.
- Blame; culpability; fault; wrong-doing; sin; crime.
- One's office; duty; charge.
- That which is exposed to risk; that which is plighted or pledged; security; a gage; a pledge.
Plight as a Verb
- To expose to risk; to pledge.
- Specifically, to pledge (one's troth etc.) as part of a marriage ceremony.
- To promise (oneself) to someone, or to do something.
Verb
- To weave; to braid; to fold; to plait.
Noun
- A network; a plait; a fold; rarely a garment.
Synonyms of Plight
Plight synonyms and antonyms →Word Forms & Grammar
plight (plural plights)
plight (third-person singular simple present plights, present participle plighting, simple past and past participle plighted)
Words That Rhyme With Plight
Origin of Plight
Origin 1: 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”)).
Origin 2: 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.
Origin 3: From Middle English plyghten, plyȝten, pleyȝten, pleiten, pliten, from the noun (see below).
Origin 4: From Middle English pliȝt, plight, plyt, pleit, from Anglo-Norman pleit (“pleat, fold”). More at plait.
Questions People Ask About Plight
Is plight a noun or a verb?
Plight is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is another word for plight?
You can replace plight with words such as engage, quandary and predicament. See the full list of plight synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of plight?
The plural of plight is plights.
What is the past tense of plight?
The past tense of plight is plighted. The present participle is plighting.