plea
[ plee ]
/ pli /
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noun
an appeal or entreaty: a plea for mercy.
something that is alleged, urged, or pleaded in defense or justification.
an excuse; pretext: He begged off on the plea that his car wasn't working.
Law.
- an allegation made by, or on behalf of, a party to a legal suit, in support of his or her claim or defense.
- a defendant's answer to a legal declaration or charge.
- (in courts of equity) a plea that admits the truth of the declaration, but alleges special or new matter in avoidance.
- Obsolete. a suit or action.
OTHER WORDS FOR plea
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Idioms about plea
cop a plea, Slang. cop2 (def. 5b).
Origin of plea
1175–1225; Middle English ple, earlier plaid<Old French <early Medieval Latin placitum law-court, suit, decision, decree, Latin: opinion (literally, that which is pleasing or agreeable), noun use of neuter of past participle of placēre to please
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH plea
pleas , pleaseDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use plea in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for plea
plea
/ (pliː) /
noun
an earnest entreaty or requesta plea for help
- law something alleged or pleaded by or on behalf of a party to legal proceedings in support of his claim or defence
- criminal law the answer made by an accused to the chargea plea of guilty
- (in Scotland and formerly in England) a suit or action at law
an excuse, justification, or pretexthe gave the plea of a previous engagement
Word Origin for plea
C13: from Anglo-Norman plai, from Old French plaid lawsuit, from Medieval Latin placitum court order (literally: what is pleasing), from Latin placēre to please
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Other Idioms and Phrases with plea
plea
see cop a plea.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.