PLIGHT, verb transitive plite. [Latin plico; flecto, to bend; ligo. See Alloy and Ply.]

1. To pledge; to give as security for the performance of some act; but never applied to property or goods. We say, he plighted his hand, his faith, his vows, his honor, his truth or troth. Pledge is applied to property as well as to word, faith, truth, honor, etc. To plight faith is, as it were, to deposit it in pledge for the performance of an act, on the non-performance of which, the pledge is forfeited.

2. To weave; to braid.

[This is the primary sense of the word, Latin plico, but now obsolete.]

PLIGHT, noun plite. Literally, a state of being involved, [Latin plicatus, implicatus, implicitus; ] hence, perplexity, distress, or a distressed state or condition; as a miserable plight But the word by itself does not ordinarily imply distress. Hence,

1. Condition; state; and sometimes good case; as, to keep cattle in plight

In most cases, this word is now accompanied with an adjective which determines its signification; as bad plight; miserable or wretched plight; good plight

2. Pledge; gage.

The Lord, whose hand must take my plight

3. A fold [Latin plica; ] a double; a plait.

All in a silken Camus, lily white,

Purfled upon with many a folded plight

4. A garment. [Not used.]