plead
verbpresent /pliːd/ · past /plɛd/
Etymology From Middle English pleden, plaiden, from Old French plaider (“to plead, offer a plea”), from plait, from Medieval Latin placitum (“a decree, sentence, suit, plea, etc.", in Classical Latin, "an opinion, determination, prescription, order; literally, that which is pleasing, pleasure”), neuter of placitus, past participle of placeō (“to please”). Cognate with Spanish pleitear (“to litigate, take to court”).
1
Ambitransitive To present (an argument or a plea), especially in a legal case.
- The defendant has decided to plead not guilty.
- O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job 16:21:
1 more example
- At the High Court in Aberdeen in September, NR pleaded guilty to a series of failings, including failing to tell the driver that it was unsafe to drive the train at the 75mph line speed.2023 October 18, “Network News: Carmont: NR pays nearly £1m in out-of-court settlements”, in RAIL, number 994, page 15:
2
To beg, beseech, or implore, especially emotionally.
- He pleaded with me not to leave the house.
- He was pleading for mercy.
3
To offer by way of excuse.
- Not wishing to attend the banquet, I pleaded illness.
- It is no defence to plead that you were only obeying orders.
1 more example
- From there Prince Rupert, the Royalist general and nephew of Charles I, demanded over £2,000 from the mayor of Leicester to pay the king's forces who were camped around Queniborough. The mayor, however, pleaded poverty and sent only £500.1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 329, about Queniborough:
4
To discuss by arguments.
- Derived terms
- counterplead, emplead, implead, interplead, misplead, outplead, pleadable, plead down, pleader, plead out, plead over, plead the belly, plead the blood of Jesus, plead the Fifth, plead up, replead, unpleaded
- Related terms
- plea, pleasant, please, pleasurable, pleasure