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plea
[ plee ]
noun
- an appeal or entreaty:
a plea for mercy.
Synonyms: , , , ,
- something that is alleged, urged, or pleaded in defense or justification.
- an excuse; pretext:
He begged off on the plea that his car wasn't working.
Synonyms:
- Law.
- an allegation made by, or on behalf of, a party to a legal suit, in support of their claim or defense.
- a defendant's answer to a legal declaration or charge.
- (in courts of equity) a plea that admits the truth of the declaration, but alleges special or new matter in avoidance.
- Obsolete. a suit or action.
plea
/ ±è±ô¾±Ë /
noun
- an earnest entreaty or request
a plea for help
- law something alleged or pleaded by or on behalf of a party to legal proceedings in support of his claim or defence
- criminal law the answer made by an accused to the charge
a plea of guilty
- (in Scotland and formerly in England) a suit or action at law
- an excuse, justification, or pretext
he gave the plea of a previous engagement
˜yÐÄvlog History and Origins
Origin of plea1
˜yÐÄvlog History and Origins
Origin of plea1
Idioms and Phrases
- cop a plea, Slang. cop 2( def 5b ).
More idioms and phrases containing plea
see cop a plea .Example Sentences
However in March 2025, on the eve of her trial, the prosecution accepted a plea of manslaughter based on medical reports.
Yoon remained defiant at his impeachment trial, claiming that he was being framed for insurrection by his political enemies — and that his declaration of martial law was intended as a plea for public attention.
The board vote did not include discussion and ignored pleas from public commenters who asked Metro to reconsider its plans to include upgraded bike lanes.
But after a lengthy video review, referee Oshane Nation ignored Miami’s pleas for a red card and flashed a yellow at Ordaz, allowing him to continue.
Early indications suggest that, despite Min Aung Hlaing's plea to the international community, the embattled junta leader is unlikely to prioritise the unfettered flow of humanitarian aid.
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More About Plea
What doesÌýplea mean?
A plea is an intense request or appeal.
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 make a plea to their friend to get help with an addiction. A kid might make a plea to their parents begging not to be grounded.
In law, a plea is generally a defendant’s response to an accusation, as in a plea of guilty or not guilty. A plea-bargain is an agreement between a defendant and a prosecutor in which the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge. The slang phrase cop a plea refers to this and can be used in nonlegal contexts.
To make a plea is to plead.
Example: When I was a kid, I used to beg my mom not to make me go to the dentist, but she always ignored my pleas.
Where doesÌýplea come from?
The first records of plea come from around 1200. It ultimately comes from the Latin verb ±è±ô²¹³¦Å§°ù±ð, meaning “to please.â€
A plea is a serious or passionate appeal and is usually made by someone who is desperate or extremely emotional. A plea is always made to another person or entity. In the context of religion, a prayer is often a kind of plea.
In law, plea is used to mean a variety of different things, including the defendant’s answer to the prosecution (a plea of not guilty) or an excuse or defense for one’s actions (a plea of self-defense).
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to plea?
- pleas (plural noun)
- plead (verb)
What are some synonyms for plea?
What are some words that share a root or word element with plea?Ìý
What are some words that often get used in discussing plea?
How isÌýplea used in real life?
Plea is commonly used when talking about defendants in a legal case. Outside of legal contexts, a passionate request can be called a plea, especially when the person making the request appears to be desperate.
Everytime I get a haircut it's like 3 months grown out and the hairdresser always bids me goodbye with a slightly desperate plea of "see you in 4 weeks!"
— James (@pageofabook)
"'Please read a book!" I cry. "I swear to you that they don't contain gluten!"
The hipsters ignore my plea.
— Shannon (@theevilwriter)
The brother of a British man due to be executed in China for drug smuggling makes a desperate plea for mercy.
— David Carradine (@DavidCarradineX)
Ìý
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Try usingÌýplea!
True or False?
A plea is the answer a person gives when someone else is desperately asking them for something.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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