Link Centre Dictionary

plead

UK/pliːd/ US/plɛd/ fairly common

verb

1.

appeal or request earnestly

  • “I pleaded with him to stop”
2.

offer as an excuse or plea

  • “She was pleading insanity”
3.

enter a plea, as in courts of law

  • “She pleaded not guilty”
4.

make an allegation in an action or other legal proceeding, especially answer the previous pleading of the other party by denying facts therein stated or by alleging new facts

Origin

From Middle English pleden, plaiden, from Old French plaider (“to plead, offer a plea”), from plait, from Medieval Latin placitum (“a decree, sentence, suit, plea, etc.", in Classical Latin, "an opinion, determination, prescription, order; literally, that which is pleasing, pleasure”), neuter of placitus, past participle of placeō (“to please”). Cognate with Spanish pleitear (“to litigate, take to court”).

Phrases

  • plead down
  • plead out
  • plead over
  • plead the belly
  • plead the blood of Jesus
  • plead the Fifth
  • plead up

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.