What does plead mean?
Plead means (ambitransitive, copulative) To present (an argument or a plea), especially in a legal case..
Plead
/pliːd/ · verb
Meaning
(ambitransitive, copulative) To present (an argument or a plea), especially in a legal case..
Definitions by Sense
- (ambitransitive, copulative) To present (an argument or a plea), especially in a legal case.
- (intransitive) To beg, beseech, or implore, especially emotionally.
- (transitive) To offer by way of excuse.
- (transitive) To discuss by arguments.
Example Sentences
The defendant has decided to plead not guilty.
O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!
At the High Court in Aberdeen in September, NR pleaded guilty to a series of failings, including failing to tell the driver that it was unsafe to drive the train at the 75mph line speed.
He pleaded with me not to leave the house.
He was pleading for mercy.
Not wishing to attend the banquet, I pleaded illness.
It is no defence to plead that you were only obeying orders.
From there Prince Rupert, the Royalist general and nephew of Charles I, demanded over £2,000 from the mayor of Leicester to pay the king's forces who were camped around Queniborough. The mayor, however, pleaded poverty and sent only £500.
Synonyms for plead
Antonyms for plead
Related Words
Word Forms
- pleads
- pleading
- pleaded
- pled
- plead
Usage Notes
Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.
Practice and Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a synonym for plead?
Common synonyms include appeal, ask, beg, request.
What is the opposite of plead?
The opposite depends on the specific sense.
How do you use plead in a sentence?
The defendant has decided to plead not guilty.
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.