Definition of pled

The origins of the word "pled" can be traced back to the Old English word "pledan," which meant "to claim" or "to put forward a claim." The Old English prefix "ple-" is believed to have originated from the Proto-Germanic word "plidan," which meant "to be bound" or "to fasten." The word "pled" originally referred to the act of claiming or demanding something as one's right or due. This concept evolved over time, and by the Middle English period, the word "pledge" came to mean a valuable item given as security for a debt. The word "pled" itself, in the sense of stating something solemnly or earnestly, seems to have developed in Middle English as a figurative use of the word "pledge" or "pledging." The Middle English word for "pledge" was "pledgeynge," and the noun "pledge" itself had not yet developed its modern sense. In this figurative sense, "pled" came to mean the act of stating something firmly or earnestly, as if in a solemn or binding declaration. Over time, the word "pled" came to be used contractually to refer to the act of promising to pay back a debt or loan at a future date. Today, the word "pled" is less commonly used than it was in the past, but it remains an important part of legal and financial terminology. Its origins, in the words "pledan" and "pledging," illustrate how blacksmithing terms from Old English have contributed to the English language, demonstrating the deep historical and linguistic ties between crafts and industry with everyday speech.