plead
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Related to plead: Plead guilty, Plead the 5th
plead
(plēd)v. plead·ed or pled (plĕd), or plead, plead·ing, pleads
v.intr.
1. To appeal earnestly; beg: plead for more time.
2. To offer reasons for or against something; argue earnestly: plead against a bill.
3. To provide an argument or appeal: Your youth pleads for you in this instance.
4. Law To respond to a criminal charge: plead guilty.
v.tr.
1. To assert as defense, vindication, or excuse; claim as a plea: plead illness as the reason for his absence.
2. Law
a. To specify (a cause of action or defense): plead a First Amendment claim.
b. To set forth in a pleading: plead that plaintiff suffered damages as a result of the breach of contract.
[Middle English pleden, plaiden, from Old French plaidier, from Medieval Latin placitāre, to appeal to the law, from Late Latin placitum, decree, opinion; see plea.]
plead′a·ble adj.
plead′er n.
plead′ing·ly adv.
Usage Note: In strict legal usage, one is said to plead guilty or plead not guilty but not to plead innocent. In nonlegal contexts, however, plead innocent is well established. · The Usage Panel prefers the past tense pleaded over pled outside of legal contexts. In our 2008 survey, the entire Panel found pleaded acceptable in He pleaded with me to give him the part, in contrast to 60 percent who accepted the same sentence using pled, and only 38 who found pled completely acceptable in this use.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
plead
(pliːd)vb, pleads, pleading, pleaded, plead (plɛd) or esp US and Scot pled (plɛd)
1. (when: intr, 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: to plead ignorance; he pleaded that he was insane.
3. (often foll by: for) to provide an argument or appeal (for): her beauty pleads for her.
4. (Law) law to declare oneself to be (guilty or not guilty) in answer to the charge
5. (Law) law to advocate (a case) in a court of law
6. (Law) (intr) law
a. to file pleadings
b. to address a court as an advocate
[C13: from Old French plaidier, from Medieval Latin placitāre to have a lawsuit, from Latin placēre to please; see plea]
ˈpleadable adj
ˈpleader n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
plead
(plid)v. plead•ed pled, plead•ing. v.i.
1. to appeal or entreat earnestly; beg: to plead for time.
2. to use arguments or persuasions.
3. to afford an argument or appeal: His youth pleads for him.
4.
v.t. a. to make any allegation or plea in an action at law.
b. (of a defendant) to answer a charge.
c. to address a court as an advocate.
d. to prosecute a suit or action at law.
5. to allege or urge in defense, justification, or excuse: to plead ignorance.
6.
a. to argue (a cause) before a court.
b. to allege formally in a court action.
c. to allege or cite as a defense.
[1200–50; Middle English plaiden < Old French plaid(i)er to go to law, plead < early Medieval Latin placitāre to litigate, derivative of Latin placitum opinion. See plea]
plead′a•ble, adj.
plead′er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
plead
Past participle: plead
Gerund: pleading
| Imperative |
|---|
| plead |
| plead |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. | plead - appeal or request earnestly; "I pleaded with him to stop" |
| 2. | plead - offer as an excuse or plea; "She was pleading insanity" apologise, rationalize, apologize, rationalise, justify, excuse - defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning; "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success" | |
| 3. | plead - enter a plea, as in courts of law; "She pleaded not guilty" law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order" declare - state emphatically and authoritatively; "He declared that he needed more money to carry out the task he was charged with" | |
| 4. | plead - 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 law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order" allege, aver, say - report or maintain; "He alleged that he was the victim of a crime"; "He said it was too late to intervene in the war"; "The registrar says that I owe the school money" demur - enter a demurrer |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
plead
verb
1. appeal, ask, request, beg, petition, crave, solicit, implore, beseech, entreat, importune, supplicate He was kneeling on the floor pleading for mercy.
2. allege, claim, argue, maintain, assert, put forward, adduce, use as an excuse The guards pleaded that they were only obeying orders.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
plead
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
plead
[pliːd] (pleaded (pled)) (esp US) (pt) (pp)A. VT
1. (= argue) to plead sb's cause → hablar por algn, interceder por algn
to plead sb's case (Jur) → defender a algn en juicio
to plead sb's case (Jur) → defender a algn en juicio
2. (as excuse) → aducir, pretextar
to plead that → aducir or pretextar que
to plead ignorance → aducir or pretextar desconocimiento
to plead poverty → aducir or pretextar falta de medios económicos
he pleaded certain difficulties → adujo or pretextó la existencia de ciertas dificultades
to plead that → aducir or pretextar que
to plead ignorance → aducir or pretextar desconocimiento
to plead poverty → aducir or pretextar falta de medios económicos
he pleaded certain difficulties → adujo or pretextó la existencia de ciertas dificultades
B. VI
1. (= beg) → suplicar, rogar
I pleaded and pleaded but it was no use → le supliqué mil veces pero de nada sirvió
to plead with sb (to do sth) → suplicar a algn (que haga algo)
to plead with sb for sth → rogar a algn que conceda algo
the village has pleaded for a new bridge for ten years → hace diez años que el pueblo viene reclamando un nuevo puente
I pleaded and pleaded but it was no use → le supliqué mil veces pero de nada sirvió
to plead with sb (to do sth) → suplicar a algn (que haga algo)
to plead with sb for sth → rogar a algn que conceda algo
the village has pleaded for a new bridge for ten years → hace diez años que el pueblo viene reclamando un nuevo puente
2. (Jur) (as defendant) → presentar declaración; (as barrister) → abogar
how do you plead? → ¿cómo se declara el acusado?
to plead guilty/not guilty → declararse culpable/inocente
how do you plead? → ¿cómo se declara el acusado?
to plead guilty/not guilty → declararse culpable/inocente
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
plead
(pliːd) – past tense, past participles ˈpleaded , (American also) pled – verb1. (of a prisoner) to answer a charge, saying whether one is guilty or not. `How does the prisoner plead?' `He pleads guilty.'declararse, alegar
2. to present a case in court. My lawyer will plead my case; My lawyer will plead for me.defender, hablar por alguien
3. (often with with) to make an urgent request. He pleaded with me not to go; He pleaded to be allowed to go.suplicar
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.