plight
gb/plˈaɪt/ us/plˈaɪt/
B2
English
~ 8400
nehéz helyzet, sanyarú sors, hűséget fogad, fogadalmat tesz, fogadalom, ünnepélyes ígéret
NOUN
B2
1
sanyarú sors
B2
Usage pattern:
the plight of [a group/person]
The documentary highlighted the plight of migrant workers living in unsafe conditions.
A dokumentumfilm rávilágított a veszélyes körülmények között élő migráns munkások nehéz helyzetére.
International charities raised money to ease the plight of families displaced by the flooding.
Nemzetközi jótékonysági szervezetek pénzt gyűjtöttek, hogy enyhítsék az árvíz miatt otthonukat elhagyni kényszerült családok nehéz helyzetét.
She felt powerless when she heard about the plight of children affected by the war.
The novel draws attention to the plight of small farmers during the drought.
Activists used social media to draw global attention to the plight of political prisoners.
Learner examples
The movie shows the plight of homeless people in the city.
A film bemutatja a városban élő hajléktalan emberek nehéz helyzetét.
We talked about the plight of animals kept in small cages.
A kis ketrecekben tartott állatok sanyarú sorsáról beszélgettünk.
Many people gave money to help with the plight of the villagers after the storm.
The article describes the plight of students who cannot pay for school.
They started a group to help with the plight of the unemployed workers.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "plight" can mean any situation, but it is almost always negative and serious. It is also usually used as a noun, often in the pattern "the plight of [group]". Do not use it like a verb meaning "to make a situation difficult" in modern English.
Meaning
difficult or sad situation
Collocations
the plight of
|in a desperate plight
|humanitarian plight
|economic plight
|the plight of refugees
|the plight of the poor
Synonyms
predicament (Often focuses on being trapped in a hard situation; less emotionally heavy than "plight".)
Antonyms
good fortune (Emphasizes having luck and positive conditions instead of a hard or painful situation.)
Themes
society
|problems
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A very bad or difficult situation that causes problems or pain for someone.
A serious, difficult, or unfortunate situation, especially one that causes suffering or hardship.
VERB
C2
LITERARY
2
Usage pattern:
to plight [one's troth/faith]
In the old ballad, the knight plights his troth to the lady before riding to war.
A régi balladában a lovag örök hűséget fogad a hölgynek, mielőtt háborúba indul.
They stood beneath the ancient oak tree and plighted their faith to one another.
Az ősi tölgyfa alatt állva hűséget fogadtak egymásnak.
The ceremony ended when the couple plighted their troth before the gathered families.
Learner examples
In this old story, the man plights his troth to the woman.
Ebben a régi történetben a férfi hűséget fogad a nőnek.
The poem says that the lovers plight their faith to each other.
A vers szerint a szerelmesek hűséget fogadnak egymásnak.
This verb is old-fashioned; people once used it to say they promised to marry.
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use "plight" as a modern verb for "promise" in everyday speech, but this sounds very old-fashioned or literary. In modern English, use verbs like "promise" or "pledge" instead.
Meaning
to pledge or promise formally
Collocations
plight one's troth
|plight one's faith
|plight one's loyalty
Synonyms
pledge (More common and broader; used for many kinds of promises, not mainly marriage.)
Antonyms
break (a promise) (Describes failing to keep a promise, the opposite of formally committing yourself.)
Themes
relationships
|formality
|communication
Definition
To make a strong, formal promise, especially a promise to marry someone. (Mostly in old or literary English.)
To make a serious and formal promise or pledge, especially a promise to marry someone.
NOUN
C2
ARCHAIC
3
fogadalom
B2
Usage pattern:
to make a plight to [someone]
He sealed his plight with a handshake before the assembled witnesses.
Fogadalmát kézfogással pecsételte meg az összegyűlt tanúk előtt.
The knight's plight to defend the realm was recorded in the royal chronicle.
A lovag fogadalmát, hogy megvédi a birodalmat, feljegyezték a királyi krónikában.
By accepting the ring, she acknowledged his plight and returned her own promise.
Learner examples
In this old text, "plight" means a strong promise.
Ebben a régi szövegben a „plight” szó komoly ígéretet jelent.
The man makes a plight to serve his king.
A férfi fogadalmat tesz, hogy szolgálja a királyát.
Today, people usually say "vow" instead of "plight" for this meaning.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this old noun sense with the common modern sense of "plight" meaning a difficult situation. In contemporary English, this "promise" meaning is almost never used outside of historical or literary contexts.
Meaning
serious promise or pledge
Collocations
a solemn plight
|a plight of loyalty
|to give a plight
Synonyms
vow (Still common today; often religious or very serious, while "plight" in this sense is now old-fashioned.)
Antonyms
renunciation (Refers to giving something up or refusing it, contrasting with making a binding promise.)
Themes
formality
|law
|communication
Definition
An old word for a strong and formal promise.
A serious and binding promise or pledge, especially one made formally.
Grammar
Dictionary form
plight
IPA
GB/plˈaɪt/
US/plˈaɪt/
Syllables & stress
plight (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (plight)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: plight
- Plural: plights
Word family
Forms
plights
noun
Expressions
in a desperate plight
1/ˈɪn ə dˈɛspɚɪt plˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
in an extremely serious difficulty
Used to say that someone is in a very, very serious and urgent difficult situation.
Examples
- Many families are in a desperate plight after the earthquake.
- The charity aims to help children in a desperate plight around the world.
in a plight
1/ˈɪn ə plˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
in a difficult situation
Used to say that someone is in a very bad or difficult situation.
Examples
- After losing his job and his home, he found himself in a terrible plight.
- The farmers are in a plight because the river has dried up.
in a sorry plight
1/ˈɪn ə sˈɑɹi plˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
literary
in a very bad state
Used, often in stories or formal writing, to say someone is in a very bad and sad situation.
Examples
- By the time help arrived, the hikers were in a sorry plight.
- The storm left the small fishing village in a sorry plight.
plight one's troth
1/plˈaɪt wˈʌnz tɹˈɔθ/
idiom
literary
formally promise to marry
An old expression meaning to make a formal promise to marry someone.
Examples
- In the medieval ceremony, the couple plighted their troth before the gathered nobles.
- The play ends with the lovers plighting their troth beneath the stars.
the plight of
1/ðə plˈaɪt əv/
fixed phrase
phrase highlighting someone's difficulty
Used before mentioning a person or group to talk about their very bad or difficult life situation.
Examples
- The report drew attention to the plight of single parents living in poverty.
- She spoke movingly about the plight of refugees on the border.