plight

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
plight1

▶noun a dangerous, difficult, or otherwise unfortunate situation.

– origin ME: from Anglo-Norman Fr. plit ‘fold’.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
plight2

▶verb archaic

• 1 solemnly pledge or promise (faith or loyalty).

• 2 (be plighted to) be engaged to be married to.

– origin OE plihtan ‘endanger’, of Gmc origin.