plight

Meanings

1. A dire or unfortunate situation.
2. A (neutral) condition or state.
3. Good health.

1. Responsibility for ensuing consequences; risk; danger; peril.
2. An instance of danger or peril; a dangerous moment or situation.
3. Blame; culpability; fault; wrong-doing; sin; crime.
4. One's office; duty; charge.
5. That which is exposed to risk; that which is plighted or pledged; security; a gage; a pledge.

1. To expose to risk; to pledge.
2. Specifically, to pledge (one's troth etc.) as part of a marriage ceremony.
3. To promise (oneself) to someone, or to do something.

1. To weave; to braid; to fold; to plait.

1. A network; a plait; a fold; rarely a garment.

Etymology

From Middle English plit (“fold, wrinkle, bad situation”), conflation of Middle English pliht, plight (“risky promise, peril”) (from Old English pliht "danger, risk"; see Etymology 2) and Anglo-Norman plit, plyte (“fold, condition”), from Old French pleit (“condition, manner of folding”) (from Vulgar Latin *plictum, from Latin plicitum (“fold”)).