plead
English
Etymology
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”).
Pronunciation
- Present tense, infinitive
- IPA(key): /ˈpliːd/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -iːd
- Past tense
- IPA(key): /ˈpliːdəd/
- IPA(key): /plɛd/ (both pled and plead)
Verb
plead (third-person singular simple present pleads, present participle pleading, simple past and past participle (North America, England, legal) pleaded or (North America, Scotland) pled or (North America) plead)
- (transitive, intransitive) To present (an argument), especially in a legal case.
- The defendant has decided to plead not guilty.
- Bible, Job xvi. 21
- O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!
- (intransitive) To beg, beseech, or implore.
- He pleaded with me not to leave the house.
- (transitive) To offer by way of excuse.
- Not wishing to attend the banquet, I pleaded illness.
Related terms
Translations
to present an argument
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to beg
Further reading
- plead in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- plead in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
- plead at OneLook Dictionary Search
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