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special pleading
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noun
Law. pleading that alleges special or new matter in avoidance of the allegations made by the opposite side.
pleading or arguing that ignores unfavorable features of a case.
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“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
Origin of special pleading
First recorded in 1675–85
Words nearby special pleading
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use special pleading in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for special pleading
special pleading
noun law
a pleading that alleges new facts that offset those put forward by the other side rather than directly admitting or denying those facts
a pleading that emphasizes the favourable aspects of a case while omitting the unfavourable
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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