What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Pledge vs Ask - What's the difference?

pledge | ask |

As nouns the difference between pledge and ask

is that pledge is a solemn promise to do something while ask is amplitude shift keying.

As a verb pledge

is to make a solemn promise (to do something).

pledge

English

(wikipedia pledge)

Verb

(pledg)
  • To make a solemn promise (to do something).
  • To deposit something as a security; to pawn.
  • To give assurance of friendship by the act of drinking; to drink to one's health.
  • * 1773 ,
  • HARDCASTLE [Taking the cup.] I hope you'll find it to your mind. I have prepared it with my own hands, and I believe you'll own the ingredients are tolerable. Will you be so good as to pledge me, sir? Here, Mr. Marlow, here is to our better acquaintance. [Drinks.]
  • * 1852 , Matthew Arnold, Tristram and Iseult
  • Reach me my golden cup that stands by thee,
    And pledge me in it first for courtesy.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A solemn promise to do something.
  • Something given by a person who is borrowing money etc to the person he has borrowed it from, to be kept until the money etc is returned.
  • A person who has taken a pledge of allegiance to a college fraternity, but not yet formally approved.
  • A security to guarantee payment of a debt.
  • A drinking toast.
  • A promise to abstain from drinking alcohol.
  • Synonyms

    * (l) * (l)

    Derived terms

    * (l) * (l)

    ask

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) asken, from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To request (information, or an answer to a question).
  • I asked her age.
  • To put forward (a question) to be answered.
  • to ask a question
  • To interrogate or enquire of (a person).
  • I'm going to ask this lady for directions.
  • * Bible, John ix. 21
  • He is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
  • To request or petition; usually with for .
  • to ask for a second helping at dinner
    to ask for help with homework
  • * Bible, Matthew vii. 7
  • Ask , and it shall be given you.
  • To require, demand, claim, or expect, whether by way of remuneration or return, or as a matter of necessity.
  • What price are you asking for the house?
  • * Addison
  • An exigence of state asks a much longer time to conduct a design to maturity.
  • To invite.
  • Don't ask them to the wedding.
  • To publish in church for marriage; said of both the banns and the persons.
  • (Fuller)
  • (figuratively) To take (a person's situation) as an example.
  • *
  • Usage notes
    * This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive . See * Pronouncing ask as /æks/ is a common example of metathesis and a feature of some varieties of English, notably African American Vernacular English (AAVE). * The action expressed by the verb ask'' can also be expressed by the noun-verb combination ''pose a question'' (confer the parallel in German between ''fragen'' and ''eine Frage stellen ).
    Derived terms
    * ask after * ask around * ask for * ask in * ask out * ask over * ask round * for the asking * no questions asked * outask

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An act or instance of asking.
  • * 2005 , Laura Fredricks, The ask :
  • To ask for a gift is a privilege, a wonderful expression of commitment to and ownership of the organization. Getting a yes to an ask can be a rush, but asking for the gift can and should be just as rewarding.
  • Something asked or asked for; a request.
  • * 2008 , Doug Fields, Duffy Robbins, Speaking to Teenagers :
  • Communication researchers call this the foot-in-the-door syndrome. Essentially it's based on the observation that people who respond positively to a small “ask'” are more likely to respond to a bigger “' ask ” later on.
  • An asking price.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) aske, arske, from (etyl) .

    Alternative forms

    *

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An eft; newt.
  • * 1876 , S. Smiles, Scottish Naturalist :
  • He looked at the beast. It was not an eel. It was very like an ask .
  • A lizard.
  • Statistics

    *