·noun A small plug.
II. Pledget ·noun A string of oakum used in calking.
III. Pledget ·noun A compress, or small flat tent of lint, laid over a wound, ulcer, or the like, to exclude air, retain dressings, or absorb the matter discharged.
The string of oakum used in caulking. Also, in surgery, a small plug of lint. ...
The Sailor's Word-Book