pleading

American  

[plee-ding] / ˈpli dɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person who pleads.

2. Law.

   1. the advocating of a cause in a court of law.

   2. the art or science of setting forth or drawing pleas in legal causes.

   3. a formal statement, usually written, setting forth the cause of action or defense of a case.

   4. pleadings, the successive statements delivered alternately by plaintiff and defendant until the issue is joined.

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pleading British  

/ ˈpliːdɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of presenting a case in court, as by a lawyer on behalf of his client

2. the art or science of preparing the formal written statements of the parties to a legal action See also pleadings

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Other Word Forms

• nonpleading adjective
• nonpleadingly adverb
• pleadingly adverb
• pleadingness noun
• unpleading adjective

Etymology

Origin of pleading

1250–1300; Middle English pledynge (gerund). See plead, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Those supportive of the prime minister are pleading with their colleagues to "hold our nerve", as one put it to me.

From BBC

Yes, many more deadbeats, and even the public housing authority is pleading for relief.

From The Wall Street Journal

In 2020, Lewis relinquished his longtime role as the House’s election policy point man after pleading guilty to charges related to using campaign funds for personal expenses, including rent.

From Salon

Kwon, the brash entrepreneur who founded Terraform in 2018, was sentenced to 15 years in prison last week after pleading guilty to two criminal counts in August.

From The Wall Street Journal

Two others were sentenced alongside Hunter after previously pleading guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice.

From BBC