plead

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”).

Present tense, infinitive

• IPA^(key): /ˈpliːd/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iːd

Past tense

• IPA^(key): /ˈpliːdəd/
• IPA^(key): /plɛd/ (both pled and plead)

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)

1. (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!

2. (intransitive) To beg, beseech, or implore.

   He pleaded with me not to leave the house.

3. (transitive) To offer by way of excuse.

   Not wishing to attend the banquet, I pleaded illness.

• plea
• pleasant
• please
• pleasurable
• pleasure

• 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

• padel, padle, paled, pedal