pleadplead /pliːd/ ●●○ verb 
‘Don’t go!’ Robert pleaded.plead for Civil rights groups pleaded for government help.plead with somebody (to do something) Moira pleaded with him to stay.► see thesaurus at ask2 (past tense and past participle pleaded also pled /pled/ especially American English) [intransitive, transitive] law to state in a court of law whether or not you are guilty of a crimeplead guilty/not guilty/innocent Henderson pled guilty to burglary.3 (past tense and past participle pleaded also pled American English) plead ignorance/illness/insanity etc formal to give a particular excuse for your actions: She stayed home from work, pleading illness.4[transitive] written to give reasons why you think something is true or why something should be doneplead that Managers pleaded that there was not enough time to make the changes. Residents successfully pleaded their case at a council meeting.
WORD ORIGINplead
Origin:
1200-1300 Old French plaidier, from plaid; ➔ PLEAVERB TABLE
plead
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | plead |
| he, she, it | pleads | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | pleaded, pled |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have pleaded, pled |
| he, she, it | has pleaded, pled | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had pleaded, pled |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will plead |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have pleaded, pled |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am pleading |
| he, she, it | is pleading | |
| you, we, they | are pleading | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was pleading |
| you, we, they | were pleading | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been pleading |
| he, she, it | has been pleading | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been pleading |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be pleading |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been pleading |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- "How do you plead?" "Not guilty, your honor."
- "Please forgive me," she pleaded "I'll never do it again."
- "You've got to help me," Magruder pleaded.
- Parker pleaded with his supporters in the crowd to remain calm.
- The wife of one of the hostages appeared on TV last night to plead for her husband's life.
- He's going to plead my health and my state.
- He plead guilty and was fined $ 240.
- He was ousted, tried, pleaded good intentions, and was acquitted.
- Now it is pleading with the banks to reschedule £250m of borrowings to keep the company afloat.
- She had pleaded, more than truthfully, a headache, and had settled to read.
- Terror stricken; the little pimp had pleaded with him, offered him money.
- The study excluded cases in which defendants pleaded guilty or no contest, and it did not involve new interviews with defendants.
- Their speeches had a pitiful, pleading quality about them, exacerbating the problem.
THESAURUSto ask for something
to tell someone you want them to give you something: · I’m going to ask for a pay rise.
to ask for food or drink in a restaurant: · We ordered some more coffee.· Have you ordered yet?
to ask for something in a firm way, insisting that someone gives you what you ask for: · They’re demanding immediate payment.· If the goods are faulty, you can demand a refund.
formal to ask for something: · The pilot requested permission to land.· I enclose the information you requested.
to ask for something in an urgent way, because you want it very much and will be very unhappy if you do not get it: · He begged me for some money.· I’m not going to plead for forgiveness.
to keep asking someone for something, in an annoying way: · She keeps nagging me for a new phone.· People were pestering him for his autograph.
Longman Language Activatorto ask strongly for something or for someone to do something to ask for something, or ask someone to do something, in a firm or angry way that shows you expect them to do it: · I demand an explanation for your appalling behaviour.· The laboratory was surrounded by protesters demanding an end to the animal experiments.· The chief demanded a thorough investigation into the murder.demand to do something: · The police officer made Neil get out of the car and demanded to see his driver's licence.demand that: · Just go to the dry cleaners, show them the dress, and demand that they pay for the damage.
to ask for something, or ask someone to do something, in an anxious way that shows you want it very much: · All right, all right, I'll come! Just stop begging.· He said he wouldn't give me the money unless I got down on my knees and begged him.beg (somebody) for something: · The prisoner was in so much pain all he could do was scream and beg for mercy.· It's the same old story - one night he beats her up, and the next day he begs her for forgiveness.beg somebody to do something: · We all begged him not to drive in the storm, but he wouldn't listen to us.
to ask for something that you want very much, in a sincere and emotional way: · "Please forgive me," she pleaded "I'll never do it again."plead for: · The wife of one of the hostages appeared on TV last night to plead for her husband's life.plead with somebody: · Parker pleaded with his supporters in the crowd to remain calm.
to ask strongly and repeatedly for something important such as a change in the law or the rules, because you think it is necessary: · People in the medical profession are pressing for genuine reforms in policy.· The team is pushing for a new stadium to be built downtown.· Women have been pressing for equal rights and pay for years.
if someone, especially a group of people, calls for something such as justice, equality etc they ask for it strongly and publicly because they think an unfair situation needs to be changed: · Amnesty International has consistently called for the release of political prisoners.· The Football Association is likely to call for a ban on alcohol at football games.· Leaders in both parties are calling for changes in campaign finance laws.
if someone, especially an organization in a bad situation, calls on someone to do something, they ask strongly and urgently for that person to do it because their help is needed: call on/upon somebody to do something: · We are calling upon the government to release all political prisoners.· The Secretary called on all Americans to help stop the abuse and neglect of children.call on/upon somebody for something: · The dance company has called on ballet-lovers everywhere for financial support.
to say publicly that you are innocent to say publicly and officially in a court of law, that you are innocent of a crime: · According to Maloney's lawyer, she will plead not guilty.plead not guilty to: · Barkin pleaded not guilty to the rape charges in municipal court Thursday.· After pleading not guilty to the charges of conspiracy, Davis was released on bail.
to say repeatedly that you are innocent, especially when other people think that you are guilty: · The men have protested their innocence for 25 years.· Schultz appeared in public again on Wednesday to protest her innocence and deny any wrong-doing.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Henderson pled guilty to burglary. Residents successfully pleaded their case at a council meeting.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES He pleaded guilty to two charges of theft.
Henderson pled guilty to burglary. Residents successfully pleaded their case at a council meeting. (=say formally in court that you are guilty)· The youth pleaded guilty to a charge of arson.
He pleaded guilty to two charges of theft. (=ask in a desperate way for someone's mercy)· She continued the punishment, although they begged for mercy.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· A tribunal was decided on in Rome and Philip sent ambassadors to plead his case.· Parties to disputes had to plead their own cases.· Mr. Thorpe then contacted the Health Authority himself and pleaded his case to no avail.· A lot of actors in his position right now would be literally pleading their case.· He traveled to Athens, sent there by Apollo to plead his case before Athena.· In the cleaned-up government of President Aquino there was no Information Ministry to plead my case to.· The Sox are employing a tough negotiator, Frank Casey, to plead their case before an arbitrator.· Sperle pleaded guilty in the case in November, and now faces sentencing in February.
· He was rash enough to plead the cause of feminine education and at the same time to urge public control of brothels.· Meanwhile, Fokker employees are out pleading their cause.· Denied access to them, she successfully pleaded their cause with the mayor.· Apparently she was not prepared to risk this for the sake of pleading Russell's cause.
· The youth pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary and five motoring offences.· He pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing the giro.· Williams has pleaded guilty to reduced charges.· He pleaded guilty to two charges of theft of articles of clothing.· He pleaded innocent to the charges.· The co-defendant pleaded guilty to a charge of committing an act of gross indecency with the appellant.· Most of the suppliers accused in the sting operations have pleaded guilty to fraud charges.
· The company also pleaded no contest to falsifying its records to hide the illegal contributions.· Irvin is on probation after pleading no contest in July to a felony charge of cocaine possession.· The study excluded cases in which defendants pleaded guilty or no contest, and it did not involve new interviews with defendants.· Unocal later pleads no contest to 12 criminal counts filed by the state and agrees to pay a $ 3 million fine.· Last month, he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor voter-fraud charge.· Earlier this week, Sherrod pleaded no contest to contempt of court for fleeing Holley.· Irvin served a five-game suspension this season after pleading no contest to felony cocaine possession.· Burgess pleaded no contest and was fined $ 150.
· Hogg then pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying methodone to others on February 13, 1999.· Gould was eventually caught last year, and pleaded guilty to 51 counts of racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering.· In an agreement with prosecutors, she pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter and two counts of armed robbery.· In 1962, the deejay pleaded guilty to two counts of commercial bribery.
· When I went to court I pleaded guilty, and I didn't get a sentence, so I was out again.
· A defendant who pleads that he was erroneously convicted is putting up a positive case and can be asked for particulars.· Four co-defendants already have pleaded guilty.· All the defendants pleaded not guilty.· But both defendants plead not guilty and the trial continues.· The study excluded cases in which defendants pleaded guilty or no contest, and it did not involve new interviews with defendants.· Both of the defendants pleaded not guilty on all counts.· Among other findings, the court ruled that defendants could plead that they were just following orders.
· Five years ago, four people pleaded guilty to felonies for having recorded and disseminated a phone conversation of Gov.· Irvin served a five-game suspension this season after pleading no contest to felony cocaine possession.· Honegger pleaded guilty to a felony forgery charge in October and was sentenced last week to six months of house arrest.
· Most of the suppliers accused in the sting operations have pleaded guilty to fraud charges.· Mirretti had pleaded guilty to fraud, bribery, theft and conspiracy to obstruct a criminal investigation.· Later he pleaded guilty to mail fraud and tax evasion in connection with defrauding Rose clients of nearly $ 400, 000.
· The relationship didn't work out, and early one Sunday morning she rang Horsley pleading for help.· Some of the survivors were heard tapping signals to rescuers and pleading for help.· She had pleaded for help as eloquently as she could.· Occasionally there will still be glimpses of the real person, pleading for help and desperately trying to be free.· I plead for help, to you who caused my suffering, and you do not even bother to reply!
· The elder brother was shot in the stomach as he knelt pleading for mercy.· The class have to plead for mercy on his behalf, but the King's envoy will only accept written pleas.· The killer was not hit but lay pleading for mercy.
· Mr Watt pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor charge.· In 1989, John Bennis pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge.
· His voice was urgent, pleading, but Marie shut it out.· Her voice was soft and pleading.
VERB· Fisher has agreed to plead guilty to the charges and faces a year in prison.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► plead/take the Fifth (Amendment)
1[intransitive, transitive] to ask for something that you want very much, in a sincere and emotional way SYN beg: - As to his reference to rugby league, I plead ignorance and will not interfere with private griefs.
- Galileo pleaded ignorance of any such document and promised to produce that signed by Bellarrnine in 1616.
- He attempted to plead insanity, but did it so effectively that they concluded he must be sane.
- In Seville he had often pleaded ignorance over some of the expressions she used.
- The next day, she stayed home from work, something she rarely did, pleading illness.
- He pleaded no contest to driving without a license.
- As a result, McCowan pleaded no contest, Sacks said.
- Burgess pleaded no contest and was fined $ 150.
- Earlier this week, Sherrod pleaded no contest to contempt of court for fleeing Holley.
- Irvin is on probation after pleading no contest in July to a felony charge of cocaine possession.
- Irvin served a five-game suspension this season after pleading no contest to felony cocaine possession.
- Last month, he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor voter-fraud charge.
- The company also pleaded no contest to falsifying its records to hide the illegal contributions.
- Unocal later pleads no contest to 12 criminal counts filed by the state and agrees to pay a $ 3 million fine.
‘Don’t go!’ Robert pleaded.plead for Civil rights groups pleaded for government help.plead with somebody (to do something) Moira pleaded with him to stay.► see thesaurus at ask2 (past tense and past participle pleaded also pled /pled/ especially American English) [intransitive, transitive] law to state in a court of law whether or not you are guilty of a crimeplead guilty/not guilty/innocent Henderson pled guilty to burglary.3 (past tense and past participle pleaded also pled American English) plead ignorance/illness/insanity etc formal to give a particular excuse for your actions: She stayed home from work, pleading illness.4[transitive] written to give reasons why you think something is true or why something should be doneplead that Managers pleaded that there was not enough time to make the changes. Residents successfully pleaded their case at a council meeting.