plead

[pleed]

verb (used without object)

pleaded, pled, pleading. 

1. to appeal or entreat earnestly.

   to plead for time.

   Synonyms: supplicate, beg

2. to use arguments or persuasions, as with a person, for or against something.

   She pleaded with him not to take the job.

   Synonyms: reason

3. to afford an argument or appeal.

   His youth pleads for him.

4. Law.

   1. to make any allegation or plea in an action at law.

   2. to put forward an answer on the part of a defendant to a legal declaration or charge.

   3. to address a court as an advocate.

   4. Obsolete.,  to prosecute a suit or action at law.

verb (used with object)

pleaded, pled, pleading. 

1. to allege or urge in defense, justification, or excuse.

   to plead ignorance.

   Synonyms: claim

2. Law.

   1. to maintain (a cause) by argument before a court.

   2. to allege or set forth (something) formally in an action at law.

   3. to allege or cite in legal defense.

      to plead a statute of limitations.

plead

/ pliːd /

verb

1. 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. to provide an argument or appeal (for)

   her beauty 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. (intr) law

   1. to file pleadings

   2. to address a court as an advocate

Other Word Forms

• replead verb
• unpleaded adjective
• pleader noun
• pleadable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of plead¹

First recordd in 1200–50; Middle English plaiden, from< Old French plaid(i)er “to go to law, plead,” from early Medieval Latin placitāre “to litigate,” derivative of Latin placitum “opinion, agreed condition.” See plea

Word History and Origins

Origin of plead¹

C13: from Old French plaidier, from Medieval Latin placitāre to have a lawsuit, from Latin placēre to please; see _plea

Example Sentences

In another case, a Chinese national named Heng Yin pleaded guilty in August to wire fraud and identity theft charges in a federal court in Kentucky, and is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“Please do not run; they’re all going to the same place,” an event staffer pleaded, falling on deaf ears.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Cody Balmer, 38, pleaded guilty to attempted murder, aggravated arson, 22 counts of arson, burglary and other offenses at a court hearing on Tuesday.

Read more on BBC

Cody Balmer, 38 years old, from Harrisburg, Penn., was sentenced by Judge Deborah Curcillo after pleading guilty to state charges of attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary and other charges under a plea deal.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“So long as there’s a healthy respect both ways, the arguing and pleading your case, I think it’s all part of the game.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• allege 
• argue 
• assert 
• cite 
• declare 
• maintain 
• respond 

When To Use

What does plead mean?

Plead means to beg or passionately try to persuade someone to do something.It’s similar to the word beg, which often means to request again and again. Plead can mean the same thing, but it’s especially used to imply that the request is passionate and that the person doing the pleading is desperate.It’s especially used in serious situations. A person might plead with their friend to get help with an addiction. You might plead with your teacher for more time to complete a project.Plead is used in a more specific way in a legal context, in which it means to declare one’s status in response to charges, especially to plead guilty or not guilty, as in How does the defendant plead? and My client pleads not guilty. It can also mean to argue something in court. The expression plead one’s case uses this sense of the word.Less commonly, plead can mean to offer as an excuse for or defense of one’s actions. When used this way, it’s typically followed by the specific excuse, as in, Don’t plead ignorance—you knew what you were doing. Plead has two past tense forms: pleaded and pled. The noun form of plead is plea.Example: When I was a kid, I was afraid of the dentist and used to plead with my mom not to make me go.