pinky promise

Meanings

1. 1nouncountableinformal

   A serious promise made by linking the little fingers of two people.

   Grammar: Often used with a: make a pinky promise.

   Patterns

   • make a pinky promise
   • a pinky promise to someone

   She made a pinky promise to keep the secret.

   The twins sealed the deal with a pinky promise.

   A pinky promise is something you can't break.

2. 2verbtransitive or intransitiveinformal

   To promise something by linking little fingers with someone.

   Grammar: Often with a that clause or to: pinky promise me.

   Patterns

   • pinky promise someone something
   • pinky promise that something

   Pinky promise you won't tell anyone.

   He pinky promised to come to the show.

   Will you pinky promise me that you'll call?

3. 3phrasefixed phraseinformal

   Said to show that you really mean what you promise.

   Grammar: Often said on its own at the end of a sentence.

   I'll be there on time, pinky promise.

   I won't forget this time, pinky promise.

   Pinky promise, I will pay you back.

Word forms

Common combinations

make a pinky promise

They made a pinky promise to stay friends.

seal it with a pinky promise

Let's seal it with a pinky promise.

break a pinky promise

You can't break a pinky promise.

pinky promise to

He pinky promised to keep the secret.

swear a pinky promise

She swore a pinky promise to her little sister.

Synonyms and how they differ

vow

Vow is formal and solemn, while a pinky promise is playful and casual.

oath

Oath is serious and often legal, unlike the casual pinky promise.

cross my heart

Cross my heart is a spoken promise that works like a pinky promise but uses no gesture.

word

Word, as in I give you my word, is a plain promise, without the child-like gesture.

Opposites

Word family

pinky noun

the smallest finger on the hand

promise noun

a statement that you will certainly do something

promise verb

to say you will definitely do something

pinkie noun

another spelling of pinky

Commonly confused: pinky promise or pinkie swear?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “pinky promise”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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