plighter

English

Etymology

From plight +‎ -er.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈplaɪtə(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -aɪtə(ɹ)

Noun

plighter (plural plighters)

1. One who or that which plights, engages, or pledges.
   • c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene xiii]:

     My playfellow, your hand; this kingly seal
     And plighter of high hearts!

   • 1963, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter 16, in Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves‎^[1], New York: Perennial Library, published 1983, page 124:

     I mean to say, remorse has frequently been known to set in after a dust-up between a couple of troth-plighters, with all that Sorry-I-was-cross and Can-you-ever-forgive-me stuff, and love, after being down in the cellar for a time with no takers, perks up and carries on again as good as new.

   • 1978, James Coltrane, chapter 11, in Talon‎^[2], Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, page 48:

     He hung up. And felt stupid. The most beautiful woman in the whole world had practically plighted her troth to him. And she didn’t seem like your run-of-the-mill plighter.

Anagrams

• prelight