▪ I. plight, n.1
(plaɪt)
Forms: 1–4 pliht, (4 erron. plith), 3 plihht, pliȝht, 3–5 pliȝt, 4–5 plyȝt, 4–6 plyght, 5 plyȝht, 5–6 Sc. plycht, 5– Sc. plicht, 4– plight. β. ? 4 plyt, 4–5 plit, plite, 5 plyte.
[OE. pliht danger, risk, = OFris. plicht danger, concern, care; cf. MDu. plicht, plecht responsibility, obligation, duty, Du. pligt, plicht, MLG., LG. plicht obligation, duty; OHG., MHG. phliht, pfliht obligation, duty, office, concern, care of or for, Ger. pflicht duty, etc.; f. stem pleh-, pleg- of OE. pleón (with genitive) to risk the loss of, expose to danger, or WGer. plegan, in OS. and OHG. (Notker) with genitive, to take the risk or responsibility of (an act), to be reponsible for, answer for (a thing or person). Cf., from same root, OE. pleoh (:—*pleh) danger, hurt, peril, risk, responsibility, OFris. ple, pli danger; OHG. pfligida risk, danger. The continental langs. show the sense-gradation from ‘danger, risk’, through ‘responsibility, duty’, to ‘office, concern, care’, etc. See Franck in Kuhn's Zeitshr. XXXVII. 132.
Already in the 14th c., in some dialects, h, ȝ, or gh was lost in the combination -ight, leaving -īt, whence the occasional β spellings above, plīt, plīte, plyt, and the modern pronunciation. Plight being thus identified in pronunciation, and sometimes in spelling with ME. plīt from AF., the two words ran together in the form plight: see plight n.2]
† 1. Peril, danger, risk. Obs.
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter cxiv. 3 Ymbsaldun mec sar deðes & plihtas helle [pericula inferni] ᵹemoettun mec. c 1000 ælfric Colloq. in Wr.-Wülcker 96 Ic hit toᵹelæde eow hider mid micclan plihte ofer sæ. c 1205 Lay. 8132, & summe heo gunnen pleien. pliht com on ueste. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 7279 Also falle men yn plyght, Þat sytte vp þe Þursday at night. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 266 Þat I passe as in pes, & no plyȝt seche. c 1440 York Myst. xxxii. 162 Þe perill and þe plight is thyne. 1503 Hawes Examp. Virt. vii. 12 Full often he brought theym to the plyght. 1572 Satir. Poems Reform. xxxii. 104 Blaming thy tressoun, the caus of all our plicht. c 1630 Drummond of Hawthornden Poems 107 That thou shouldst..die for those deserv'd eternall plight. |
| β c 1400 Destr. Troy 8019 Priam..Wold haue put hym to þe plit for perell of all. c 1412 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 1221, I haue had habundance Of welfare ay; and now stond in þe plite Of scarsetee. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 2575 For to dy scho semed in plyte. |
† 2. Sin, offence; guilt, blame. Obs.
| c 1200 Ormin 10213 Forr grediȝnesse is hæfedd plihht, & follȝheþþ helless bisne. 13.. Cursor M. 5077 (Cott.) Mi breþer dere, Your plight [v.r. gilt] i haue for-giuen yow. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 131 Þe kyng suld haf no plight, þat Thomas so was dede. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxvi. (Nycholas) 932 Quhy suld he sa be dycht For þare mysded & þar plicht. |
| β 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 1494 Þe lorde þat þe lyfte ȝemes Displesed much at þat play in þat plyt stronge. |
3. Undertaking (of a risk or obligation); pledge (under risk of forfeiture); engagement, plighting.
(After ME., perh. a new formation from the vb.)
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1269 He bad him maken siker pliȝt Of luue and trewðe, in frendes riȝt. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 1494 Þat man þat demeþ alle to þe ryȝt, Of mercy get he no plyȝt. c 1320 Sir Tristr. 888 Crounes þai gun crake Mani, ich wene, apliȝt [= in plight]. c 1430 Syr Tryam. 767 Thus they justyd tylle hyt was nyght, Then they departyd in plyght, They had nede to reste. |
| 1605 Shakes. Lear i. i. 103 Happily when I shall wed, That Lord, whose hand must take my plight, shall carry Halfe my loue with him. a 1700 Dryden Song, ‘What shall I do?’ Not pray for a smile, And not bargain for plight. 1891 G. Meredith One of our Conq. I. iv. 58 An engagement,..a mutual plight of faith. |
| β 13.. St. Erkenwolde 285 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 272 Nas I a paynym vnpreste þat neuer þi plite knewe Ne þi mesure of þi mercy ne þi mecul vertue? |
4. Comb. plight-ring, an engagement-ring.
| 1877 W. Jones Finger-ring 241 A sacred plight-ring was considered almost as impassable a barrier as the veil itself, against the marriage of the wearer. |
▪ II. plight, n.2
(plaɪt)
Forms: α. 4–5 plit, plyt, 5–6 plite, plyte, (5 plyet). β. 4–5 pliȝt, plyȝt, 5–6 plyght, -e, 5– plight.
[ME. plit, plyt, a. Anglo-F. plit (in Gower and Law French), for ONF. *pleit, OF. ploit fold, act or manner of folding; also, manner of being, trim, condition, state (13th c. in Godef.): see plait n.1 (of which this is in origin a doublet). The β forms are taken over from plight n.1; when that word was (in some parts of England, already in 14th c.) reduced to plīt, plīte, and thus indentified in pronunciation and sometimes in spelling with this, this began in turn to be spelt plyght, plight, which superseded plite in 16th c. This spelling appears first in branch II, and perh. there was association of sense, peril (plight n.1 1) being a kind of ‘evil plight’ (4 b below). In 16–17th c. the gh was often extended to the synonym plait, written pleight, plaight (but for this there were also other possible models in eight, weight, straight, riming with plait, wait).]
I. Fold; manner of folding; plait.
† 1. A fold, in drapery or the like; a pleat; = plait n. 1 a. Obs.
| α 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles iii. 156 And if pernell preisid the plytis bihynde, The costis were acountid paye whan he myȝth. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode ii. x. (1869) 79 Come forth clerk,..vndoo þese letteres out of plyt. a 1568 R. Ascham Scholem. (Arb.) 100 To clothe him selfe with nothing els, but a demie bukram cassok, plaine without plites. |
| β c 1460 J. Russell Bk. Nurture 242 Now fold ye alle there at oonys þat a pliȝt passe not a fote brede alle way. 1547 Boorde Introd. Knowl. xviii. (1870) 169 Theyr rayment..is made..wyth two wrynckkles and a plyght. 1697 tr. C'tess D'Aunoy's Trav. (1706) 229 She is drest..with a short Gown without any plights. |
† b. A fold in a natural structure, a convolution, a bend; = plait n. 1 b. Obs.
| α 1594 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. ii. 350 These foldings, plites, and windings [of the ileon or folded gut]. |
| β 1543 Traheron Vigo's Chirurg. i. i. 2 b, In the plyghte of the arme. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 554 This [horn of unicorn]..is neither light nor hollow,..revolved into many plights, sharper than any dart. 1671 J. Flavel Fount. Life i. Wks. 1731 I. 2/1 It is of many Sorts and Forms, of many Folds and Plights. |
† c. fig. (Cf. plait n. 1 c.) Obs.
| 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love iii. ix. (Skeat) I. 77 In this boke be many privy thinges wimpled and folde; unneth shul leude men the plites unwinde. |
† 2. A plait of hair or the like; = plait n. 2.
| 1601 Weever Mirr. Mart. B ij b, Diuides each haire, each plight vndresses. 1617 Moryson Itin. iii. 129 A taile..very woolly and fat, and close wouen in many plights. 1800 Coleridge Christabel ii. 33 Geraldine..Puts on her silken vestments white, And tricks her hair in lovely plight. |
† b. fig. A contexture of conditions. (Cf. sense 4.) Obs. rare.
| 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 74 It seems then, that the thing that calls us up is Morningness, or that woof and plight that the whole ticklish frame of worldly beings are wheel'd into at such a tide of day. |
† 3. A recognized length or ‘piece’ of lawn. (? Orig. the length into which it was folded. See Beck Draper's Dict. 178 note.) Obs.
| 1415 Test. Ebor. (Surtees) I. 382, j plite [printed plice] de lawnd. 1452 Will of Britte (Somerset Ho.), Vnum plyte de lawne. 1463 Act 3 Edw. IV, c. 5 Coverchiefs del price dun plite de cynqe souldz. 1463–4 Rolls of Parlt. V. 505/1 Eny Kerchef, wherof the price of a plyght shall excede the some of iiis. iiiid. Ibid., Kerchiefs, of the price of a plyte of vs. 1483, 1502 [see lawn n.1 1]. 1535 Rutland MSS. (1905) IV. 277 For vj plightes of fyne lawne for sleves for the Quene. [1607 Cowell Interpr., Plite of Lawne... Seemeth to be a certaine measure, as a yard or an elle, etc.] |
II. Manner of being; condition, state. (Cf. complexion.)
4. Condition, state, trim. a. orig. neutral or good.
| α 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 111 With peple of alle plytez þe palays þay fyllen. c 1386 Chaucer Can. Yeom. Prol. & T. 399 The nexte tyme I shal fonde To bryngen oure craft al in another plite. 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love ii. i. (Skeat) l. 8 Chaunging of the lift syde to the right halve tourneth it so clene in-to another kynde, that never shal it come to the first plyte in doinge. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 405/1 Plyte, or state,..status. 1530 Palsgr. 255/2 Plyte or state, poynt. 1570 Levins Manip. 151/6 Plite, plight, habitudo. |
| β c 1350 Will. Palerne 5373 But heriȝed be þe hiȝe king ȝou þus haþ holpe, & pult ȝou to þis pliȝt fram pouert euermore! 1534 More Treat. Passion Wks. 1288/2 And [to] lyue here in suche pleasaunt plight as we shuld have lyued if Adam had not synned. 1596 Drayton Leg. iv. 214 Being in so excellent a plight. 1652–62 Heylin Cosmogr. i. (1682) 269 The Town remaining in as good plight..for Trade and Buildings, as most Towns do which want a navigable River. 1768 Blackstone Comm. III. i. 9 Nothing shall be distreined for rent, which may not be rendered again in as good plight as when it was distreined. 1838–9 F. A. Kemble Resid. in Georgia (1863) 124 It is a happy and hopeful plight for us both. 1851 Gallenga Italy 251 Not in the best plight or order. |
b. Now generally qualified as evil.
| α 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 114 Now hatz he put hym in plyt of peril. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 733 Þus in peryl, & payne, & plytes ful harde. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 200 In sori plit and povere he lay. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iv. xxiii. 152 She shalle be in as euyl plyte as he is or it be long to. |
| β 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 1074 Þe planetez arn in to pouer a plyȝt. 1490 Caxton Eneydos l. 142 Turnus..knewe well thenne that he was deceyued,..sore an-angred he was, whan he founde hym selfe in that plyght. c 1586 C'tess Pembroke Ps. cvii. iii, They cry'd to him in woefull plight. 1632 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 56 We cannot be in worse plight than we are. 1664 Butler Hud. ii. i. 31 We forget in what sad plight We lately left the captiv'd Knight. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xiii, He was now in a woful plight. 1863 P. Barry Dockyard Econ. 23 Dockyard administration is in a sorry and almost hopeless plight. |
† c. Manner, fashion, way. Obs. rare.
| c 1460 J. Russell Bk. Nurture 434 Pecok, Stork, Bustarde, & Shovellewre, ye must vnlace þem in þe plite of þe crane prest & pure. 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 8 b, We deny all, in the same plight as you have set them downe. |
5. Bodily or physical condition; state as to health; now esp. of cattle.
| 1390 Gower Conf. II. 47 Thus was the hors in sori plit. c 1410 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) xii, Also þe scabbe cometh to hem, for to hye plyet, when þei abyde in her kenel to longe and goth not on huntynge. 1551 Turner Herbal i. K iij, Blake Ciche..taken wyth beanes..maketh a good plyte and fatt fleshe. 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary i. (1625) 125 The woman also in very good plight too. a 1649 Winthrop New Eng. (1853) I. 37 Some horses came over in good plight. 1792 Cowper Let. 29 July, Mary..is in pretty good plight this morning, having slept well. 1855 H. Martineau Autobiog. II. 35 Another of our neighbours admitted the fine plight of my cows. |
b. absol. Good or proper condition, health.
| c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 3823 Þai wald noȝt bring þe childe in plyte [i.e. to health]. 1573 Tusser Husb. xxxvi. (1878) 85 Use cattle aright, to keepe them in plight. 1704 Swift T. Tub xi, When a traveller and his horse are in heart and plight. 1760–72 H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) III. 84 [Of a ship] Though she had been in plight, we had not hands left sufficient to work her. 1866 Felton Anc. & Mod. Gr. I. i. vii. 119 [Of a dog] His strength, his plight, his speed so light, You had with wonder viewed. |
† 6. State of mind, mood, esp. to do something.
| [1376–9 Gower Mirour de l'omme 10661 Comment q'il plourt, comment q'il rit, Toutdis se tient en un soul plit.] |
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 545 [To] put you in plite your purpos to wyn. 1513 More in Grafton Chron. (1568) II. 773 Thinketh he that I would send him hence, which is neyther in the plight to sende out? 1632 Milton Penseroso 57 'Less Philomel will daign a Song, In her sweetest, saddest plight. 1726 G. Shelvocke Voy. round World 27 He coming in a very humble plight, asking my pardon. |
7. State or position from a legal point of view. a. Of an enactment, privilege, use, etc.
| 1540 Act 32 Hen. VIII, c. 16 §11 The same proclamacion shal abide, be, and remain in the same plight and strength that it is, and as if this acte had neuer bene made. 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 243 As touching this privilege.., although it continue not altogither in the same plight, yet some shadowe thereof remaineth even to this day. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) II. 443 The statute of uses executes the possession to the use, in the same plight as the use was limited. |
b. Of a person, etc.: Legal status.
| [a 1481 Littleton Tenures §306 iii. iv. (1516) D iv b, Est en tiel plite sicomme il que auoit droit.] |
| 1663 Act 15 Chas. II, c. 6 §7 Whether Persons prohibited to preach by the said Act are in the same Plight as to Punishment, with Persons disabled by the said Act to preach. 1769 Blackstone Comm. IV. xxx. 392 The effect of falsifying, or reversing, an outlawry is that the party shall be in the same plight as if he had appeared upon the capias. |
8. Attire, array, dress. rare.
| 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. xii. 8 Like as the sunburnt Indians do aray Their tawney bodies in their proudest plight. 1743 J. Davidson æneid vii. 192 Three hundred of them stood shining and in full plight. 1821 J. Baillie Metr. Leg., Ld. John xii, In reveller's plight, he is bedight. |
▪ III. plight, v.1 Now chiefly poet. or rhet.
(plaɪt)
Pa. tense and pple. plighted. Forms of inf.: see plight n.1 pa. tense 4 pliȝt, plyghte, 4–7 plight, 5 plyght, plyȝt, 6 Sc. plicht, 8– plighted. pa. pple. 3–5 pliȝt, 3 i-pluht, 4 y-plight, y-pliȝt, y-plyȝt, 4, 7– plight, 5 i-pleyht, 6 plyght (Sc. plicht), plyted, 6– plighted.
[OE. plihtan, f. pliht danger, damage: see plight n.1 Cf. OHG. phlihten refl. to engage one's self, MDu. plichten to guarantee.]
† 1. trans. To cause to incur danger, bring danger upon; to endanger; to compromise (life, honour, etc.). With dat. (OE.)
| a 1016 Laws æthelred v. c. 28 (Schmid) Plihte him sylfum and ealre his are. Ibid. vi. c. 36 Þonne plihte hi heora æhton, butan hit frið-benan sindan. |
2. trans. To put (something) in danger or risk of forfeiture; to give in pledge; to pledge or engage (one's troth, faith, oath, promise, etc.).
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 208 Al so as dusi biheste, oðer folliche ipluht trouðe, & longe beon unbishoped..þeos, & alle swuche beoð iled to slouhðe. c 1386 Chaucer Wife's T. 153 Plight me thy trouthe heere in myn hand quod she The nexte thyng that I requere thee Thou shalt it do. c 1450 Godstow Reg. 517 To this couenaunte to be holde truly and with-out gyle, bothe perties plight ther trowthes. 1554–9 in Songs & Ball. (1860) 2 To fullfyll the promys he had plyght. c 1560 A. Scott Poems (S.T.S.) ii. 75 William his vow plicht to the powin, Ffor favour or for feid. 1567 Satir. Poems Reform. iii. 64 Off hir finger fals she threw ane Ring, And said, ‘my Lord, ane taikin I ȝow plycht’. 1582 Stanyhurst æneis ii. (Arb.) 46 My faith I plight heere, to relate thee veritye soothlye. 1607 Topsell Foure-f. Beasts 353 Truely her troath She him plight, That she would not come within the night. 1700 Dryden Pal. & Arc. i. 291 Have we not plighted each our holy oath, That one should be the common good of both? 1813 Scott Rokeby i. xv, Hast thou kept thy promise plight, To slay thy leader in the fight? 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xxi. IV. 685 They came in multitudes..to plight faith to William, rightful and lawful King. |
b. esp. in reference to betrothal or marriage: cf. trothplight.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 8386 (Cott.) Well i wat þat þou me hight, Ar þou to spouse me trouth plight. c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 600 And in myn hand youre trouthe plighten ye To loue me best. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. vi. xiii. (Bodl. MS.), In contract of wedding [he] pliȝte[þ] his trowith and obligeþ hym selfe to lede his life with his wyfe and to pay here dettes. 1548–9 Bk. Com. Prayer, Matrimony, And therto I plight thee my trouth. 1653 Walton Angler i. 24 What is said of Turtle Doves;..that they silently plight their troth and marry. 1841 James Brigand vii, I told him..that my heart was given and my hand plighted to another. |
† c. Phrase. I thee (you) plight (sc. my word): I warrant or assure you, I promise you. Obs.
| c 1400 Sowdone Bab. 318, I shal have an othere, I you plighte, Like to this every dele. c 1485 E.E. Misc. (Warton Cl.) 50 The old man sayd ‘Y the plyȝte, Thou schalt have as y the hyght’. a 1500 Sir Beues 2154 (Pynson) In that caue they were al nyght Wythout mete or drynke, I you plyght. |
† 3. To pledge or bind oneself to do or give (something); to promise. Obs.
| c 1205 Lay. 13071, & þu wulle me an hold plihten; Þat ich hit scal al dihten. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2677 Or haue he hire pliȝt & sworen, Ðat him sal feið wurðful ben boren. 14.. in Tundale's Vis., etc. (1843) 145 Heyle godly lady in the was plyght Tho joy of man bothe all and sum. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 239 b, Than doest thou all that thou hast plyght. 1587 Misfort. Arth. iii. iv. in Hazl. Dodsley IV. 313 The quiet rest that princely palace plights. |
4. To engage or bind (oneself); pass. to be engaged or bound to some one.
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. i. 46 Pilgrimes and Palmers Plihten hem to-gederes For to seche Seint Ieme and seintes at Roome. 1377 Ibid. B. v. 202, I..was his prentis ypliȝte, his profit to wayte. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 1045 Y til him am trewe y-pliȝt, & haue myn oþ y-swered. 1832 H. Martineau Irel. iv. 72 So you have plighted and pledged yourself to your band since you swore you would wed me only. 1870 E. Peacock Ralf Skirl. III. 116 His daughter was plighted to the very man he would have chosen for her. |
▪ IV. † plight, v.2 Obs.
Forms: see plight n.2
[ME. plite, etc., collateral form of plait v.; later plight, going with plight n.2]
1. trans. To fold, to pleat; = plait v. 1, pleat v. 1; also, to contract into folds or wrinkles.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus ii. 1155 (1204) Now goode Nece be it neuere so lyte, Yif me þe labour it to sowe and plyte. c 1374 ― Boeth. i. Pr. ii. 5 (Camb. MS.), With the lappe of hir garment Iplitid in a frounce sche dryede myn eyen. 1530 Palsgr. 660/2, I plyght a gowne, I set the plyghtes in order, je plye. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 76 The garment was large, and plited verie thicke. 1627 tr. Bacon's Life & Death (1651) 8 Things, which by Heat are not onely wrinkled, but ruffled and plighted. 1658 Rowland tr. Moufet's Theat. Ins. 973 The wings are of a decayed purple colour passing to a lively blue, and all plighted severally. |
b. To fold (in the arms), embrace.
| c 1440 York Myst. xli. 81 And in his armes he shall hym plight. 1596 R. L[inche] Diella (1877) 76 Diego..Came running forth, him in his arms to plight. |
c. fig.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus ii. 648 (697) What to done best were, & what eschue, That plitede she ful ofte in many folde. 1640 J. Stoughton Def. & Distrib. Divinity ii. 78 So long as these Divine truths are folded and plighted together in these few divisions, there is no lustre or light sparkles from them. |
2. To intertwine or interweave into one combined texture; = plait v. 2; to knit, to tie in a knot.
| 1589 Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 76 Hir lockes are pleighted like the fleece of wooll. c 1590 ― Fr. Bacon vi. 127 I'll plight the bands and seal it with a kiss. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. vi. 7 Sometimes her head she fondly would aguize With gaudy girlonds..or rings of rushes plight. 1633 P. Fletcher Purple Isl. vii. xxiii, A long love-lock on his left shoulder plight. |
Hence ˈplighted ppl. a. (also plited, plight), plaited, pleated, folded, involved; ˈplighting vbl. n., pleating, folding, wrinkling.
| 1502 Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W. 1506) ii. v. 95 Sleues with syde lappes or plyted. c 1530 Crt. of Love 1102 The nonnes, with vaile and wimple plight. 1601 Weever Mirr. Mart. C vij b, This all-affrighting Comet I haue heard To be the plighted tresse of Meropes. 1627 tr. Bacon's Life & Death (1651) 8 Contraction by the Fire..causeth Plighting. 1670 Milton Hist. Eng. ii. Wks. 1851 V. 62 She [Boadicea] wore a plighted garment of divers colours, with a great gold'n Chain. 1693 tr. Emilianne's Hist. Monast. Ord. 152 A black plited cloak. |
▪ V. plight
obs. form of plighted ppl. a.1 and ppl. a.2