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plight

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A difficult, dangerous, or unfortunate situation or condition; also a solemn pledge or promise, especially in betrothal, as in "to plight one's troth."

Detailed Definition
“Plight” conveys binding commitment (“plight troth”) or dire state (“woeful plight”). In poetry, it frames vows or suffering. The term’s duality allows rich metaphor—plighted faith versus plight of exile. Poets use it to explore how promises shape fate, or how circumstance entraps, reinforcing themes of loyalty, vulnerability, and social contract in narrative and dramatic verse.
Example
Example in poetry:
“She described her plight with dignity,” in a narrative of hardship; In Shakespeare’s King Lear: “Thou art a soul in bliss; but I am bound / Upon a wheel of fire... / And my poor fool is hanged! No, no, no life! / Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life, / And thou no breath at all? Thou’lt come no more, / Never, never, never, never, never! / Pray you, undo this button. Thank you, sir. / Do you see this? Look on her! Look, her lips, / Look there, look there! [Dies]”—a supreme plight; “His plight moved even his enemies”; “The poet’s plight is to speak truth unheard”; In plight or in plenty, keep faith.
Additional Notes
“Plight” holds dual meanings: distress (“dire plight”) and pledge (“plighted troth”); this tension enables rich ambiguity—e.g., lovers in “plight” may suffer or be bound by vow, merging fate and commitment.
Also Known As
condition state predicament
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