Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense pleads, present participle pleading, past tense, past participle pleaded
1. verb
If you plead with someone to do something, you ask them in an intense, emotional way to do it.
The woman pleaded with her daughter to come back home. [VERB + with]
He was kneeling on the floor pleading for mercy. [VERB + for]
'Do not say that,' she pleaded. [VERB with quote]
I pleaded to be allowed to go. [VERB to-infinitive]
[Also V, V that]
Synonyms: appeal, ask, request, beg More Synonyms of plead
2. verb
When someone charged with a crime pleads guilty or not guilty in a court of law, they officially state that they are guilty or not guilty of the crime.
Morris had pleaded guilty to robbery. [VERB adjective]
3. verb
If you plead the case or cause of someone or something, you speak out in their support or defence.
He appeared before the Committee to plead his case. [VERB noun]
He pled the cause of the afflicted and the needy. [VERB noun]
4. verb
If you plead a particular thing as the reason for doing or not doing something, you give it as your excuse.
Mr Burke, pleading poverty, changed his mind. [VERB noun]
Mr Giles pleads ignorance as his excuse. [VERB noun]
It was no defence to plead that they were only obeying orders. [VERB that]
Synonyms: allege, claim, argue, maintain More Synonyms of plead
plead in British English
(pliːd)
verbWord forms: pleads, pleading, pleaded, plead (plɛd) or especially US and Scottish pled (plɛd)
1. (whenintr, often foll by with)
to appeal earnestly or humbly (to)
2. (tr; may take a clause as object)
to give as an excuse; offer in justification or extenuation
to plead ignorance
he pleaded that he was insane
3. (intransitive; often foll byfor)
to provide an argument or appeal (for)
her youth pleads for her
4. law
to declare oneself to be (guilty or not guilty) in answer to the charge
5. law
to advocate (a case) in a court of law
6. (intransitive) law
a.
to file pleadings
b.
to address a court as an advocate
Derived forms
pleadable (ˈpleadable)
adjective
pleader (ˈpleader)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French plaidier, from Medieval Latin placitāre to have a lawsuit, from Latin placēre to please; see plea
plead in American English
(plid)
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈpleaded or pled or plead (plɛd), ˈpleading
1.
a.
to present a case in a law court; argue the case of either party
b.
to present a plea (sense 3) plea (sense 3b)
2.
to make an earnest appeal; supplicate; beg
to plead for mercy
verb transitive
3.
to discuss or defend (a law case) by argument
4.
to declare oneself to be (guilty or not guilty) in answer to a charge
5.
to offer as an excuse or defense
to plead ignorance
SIMILAR WORDS: apˈpeal
Derived forms
pleadable (ˈpleadable)
adjective
pleader (ˈpleader)
noun
pleadingly (ˈpleadingly)
adverb
Word origin
ME pleden < OFr plaidier < plaid: see plea
Examples of 'plead' in a sentence
plead
There have been concerns that people may plead guilty simply to avoid going to court.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He said this was tantamount to pleading guilty and he deserved a cut.
The Sun (2017)
But they knocked a week off that after he pleaded guilty to the charge at the earliest opportunity.
The Sun (2016)
At Grimsby crown court he pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The trio all pleaded guilty at a Portsmouth crown court hearing.
The Sun (2016)
He pleaded not guilty to the charges at an initial hearing on Monday.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He was given five consecutive nine-year terms at Lincoln crown court after pleading guilty to ten threats to kill.
The Sun (2016)
The persistent widow kept returning to plead her case.
Christianity Today (2000)
No bank executives should be allowed to plead ignorance.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
All three defendants had pleaded not guilty to murder.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It was one of those questions where answering correctly might be worse than pleading ignorance.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
She may well send your father to plead her case.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
All the men have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It is not enough to deflect problems by invoking due process or by pleading ignorance.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Two of those charged have pleaded not guilty.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Our taxi driver pleaded our case but to no avail.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
But it is easier to plead ignorance than to try to get to the bottom of it.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
But he pleaded guilty in court.
The Sun (2011)
He got a 12-month conditional discharge after pleading guilty at court.
The Sun (2015)
I plead the cause of the people.
Christopher Hibbert DISRAELI: A Personal History (2004)
For now, best tell your dad that you're not the person to plead his cause.
The Sun (2016)
But she accepted that he was fond of her, and agreed in the end that he could continue to plead his cause -- though not in person.
Veronica Buckley CHRISTINA QUEEN OF SWEDEN: The Restless Life of a European Eccentric (2004)
In other languages
plead
British English: plead VERB
If you plead with someone to do something, you ask them in an intense, emotional way to do it.
The lady pleaded with her daughter to come back home.