plead
/pliːd/ verb
Forms pleads pleading pleaded pled
- verb (ambitransitive, copulative) To present (an argument or a plea), especially in a legal case. “The defendant has decided to plead not guilty.”
- verb (intransitive) To beg, beseech, or implore, especially emotionally. “He pleaded with me not to leave the house.”
- verb (transitive) To offer by way of excuse. “Not wishing to attend the banquet, I pleaded illness.”
- verb (transitive) To discuss by arguments.
Synonyms
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”).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To argue in support of a claim, or in defense against the claim of another; to urge reasons for or against a thing; to attempt to persuade one by argument or supplication; to speak by way of persuasion; as, to plead for the life of a criminal; to plead with a judge or with a father.
- verb To present an answer, by allegation of fact, to the declaration of a plaintiff; to deny the plaintiff's declaration and demand, or to allege facts which show that ought not to recover in the suit; in a less strict sense, to make an allegation of fact in a cause; to carry on the allegations of the respective parties in a cause; to carry on a suit or plea. Blackstone. Burrill. Stephen.
- verb To discuss, defend, and attempt to maintain by arguments or reasons presented to a tribunal or person having uthority to determine; to argue at the bar; as, to plead a cause before a court or jury.
- verb To allege or cite in a legal plea or defense, or for repelling a demand in law; to answer to an indictment; as, to plead usury; to plead statute of limitations; to plead not guilty. Kent.
Etymology [OE. pleden, plaiden, OF. plaidier, F. plaider, fr. LL. placitare, fr. placitum. See Plea.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “plead”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details