plead

[ pleed ]

verb (used without object)

, plead·ed or pled [pled], plead·ing.

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)

, plead·ed or pled [pled], plead·ing.

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. whenintr, often foll by with to appeal earnestly or humbly (to)
2. tr; may take a clause as object to give as an excuse; offer in justification or extenuation

   he pleaded that he was insane

   to plead ignorance

3. introften foll byfor 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

Derived Forms

• ˈpleadable, adjective
• ˈpleader, noun

Other Words From

• re·plead verb repleaded repleading
• un·pleaded 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

Su Bin eventually is extradited to the United States, pleads guilty to engaging in the hacking operations from 2008 to 2014, and is sentenced to 46 months in prison.

From MIT Technology Review

“We get on the local news station and plead with test providers to help us facilitate widespread testing,” Fischer said.

From ProPublica

Doctors and nurses at Tijuana’s Hospital General pleaded for help in an open letter published on Facebook, saying they lack medication and equipment to treat patients, reports Cadena Noticias.

From Voice of San Diego

She pleaded guilty and was sentenced last year to two days in county jail and three years’ probation.

From Voice of San Diego

The father pleaded to be reunited with his partner and explained he did not want to be sent to Mexico without her, the complaint reads.

From Voice of San Diego

The camera passes to each hostage in turn to allow them to plead with the Lebanese government to let them live.

From The Daily Beast

He did not plead guilty, and has regularly filed petitions in an effort to prove his innocence.

From The Daily Beast

The news that Grimm was set to plead guilty sent shockwaves through the leadership of the Republican Party on Staten Island.

From The Daily Beast

In all these cases, the students and even faculty members plead ignorance.

From The Daily Beast

On Friday, many of the minors came back to plead to the residents that this was their only home.

From The Daily Beast

Bernard stood there face to face with Mrs. Vivian, whose eyes seemed to plead with him more than ever.

From Project Gutenberg

Whether advocates and orators had liberty to plead in causes, manifestly known to be unjust, vexatious, or oppressive?

From Project Gutenberg

He will die of a broken heart, and will plead against me at the judgment-seat.

From Project Gutenberg

Put me in remembrance, and let us plead together: tell if thou hast any thing to justify thyself.

From Project Gutenberg

And the Duke of Wellington refused to plead for the Marshal, for he said "it was absolutely necessary to make an example."

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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

More About Plead

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.

Where does plead come from?

The first records of plead come from the 1200s. It ultimately comes from the Latin placēre, meaning “to please.” The noun plea, which is also used in law, shares this origin, as does the word please.

Plead is commonly used in law but is generally used in the context of passionate appeals or arguments outside of courtrooms.

Pleading is often done by people who have run out of options. The word often implies desperation or intense need. Someone who is pleading for mercy has no options other than to ask to be spared harm or punishment.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to plead?

• pleader (noun)
• plea (noun)

What are some synonyms for plead?

• beg
• request
• appeal
• pray
• ask

What are some words that share a root or word element with plead? 

 

• plea
• please
• placid

What are some words that often get used in discussing plead?

• guilty
• innocent
• mercy
• help
• forgiveness
• ignorance
• stupidity

How is plead used in real life?

Outside of law, plead implies that someone is passionately begging for something.

Your honor, I'd like to plead oopsie daisies

— Disastrophé🖤 (@moonsixnine) November 8, 2020

I heard thunder from afar. I plead for rain. The heat is just too much. :-( 😓

— GemCab (@G_A_Cabreros) May 3, 2017

Why is it so hard to find a bassist? I plead to the gods of rock to help me. =(

— Anuar Chain-Haddad (@McKnzieRbrts) January 6, 2010

 

 

Try using plead!

Pleading usually involves making which of the following things?

A. an order
B. a request
C. a question
D. a demand