plea en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /pliː/
Etymology
From Middle English ple, from Old French plait, plaid, from Medieval Latin placitum (“a decree, sentence, suit, plea, etc., Latin an opinion, determination, prescription, order; literally, that which is pleasing, pleasure”), neuter of placitus, past participle of placere (“to please”). Cognate with Spanish pleito (“lawsuit, suit”). Doublet of placit. See also please, pleasure.
Meanings
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An appeal, petition, urgent prayer or entreaty.
a plea for mercy
make a plea
Even if only one person answers my plea for someone to correspond with it will be a blessing.
1981 December 1, George D. Johnson, “Personal advertisement”, in Gay Community News, volume 12, number 20, page 18:
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An excuse; an apology.
No Plea must serve; ’tis cruelty to spare.
1668, Sir John Denham, Poems and Translations with The Sophy, “The Sophy”, Actus Primus, Scena Segunda, page 6:Necessity, the tyrant’s plea.
1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
- That which is alleged or pleaded, in defense or in justification.
- That which is alleged by a party in support of his cause.
- An allegation of fact in a cause, as distinguished from a demurrer.
- The defendant’s answer to the plaintiff’s declaration and demand.
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A cause in court; a lawsuit; as, the Court of Common Pleas.
they or any three of them shall be a Court and have cognizance of pleas real, personal, and mixed.
1782, "An Act establishing a Supreme Judicial Court within the Commonwealth", quoted in The Constitutional History of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, Frank Washburn Grinnell, 1917, page 434
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| pleas | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
cop a plea · plea in abatement · West plea · interplea · Kennedy plea · Alford plea · plea bargaining · declinatory plea · plea bargain · plea of the crown · pleas of the crown · counterplea · plea-bargain · plea deal
Relateds
pleasurable · pleasant · plead · please · pleasure
Synonyms
Translations (99)
de Flehen (appeal, petition, entreaty) · ga pléadáil (law: defendant's answer to plaintiff’s declaration) · hu kérelem (appeal, petition, entreaty) · fi vastaus (law: defendant's answer to plaintiff’s declaration) · it obiezione (law: that which is alleged by a party in support of his cause) · it domanda (appeal, petition, entreaty) · it riserva (that which is presented in defense or justification) · ru пети́ция (appeal, petition, entreaty) · cmn 懇求 /恳求 (appeal, petition, entreaty) · ru проше́ние (appeal, petition, entreaty) · ru оправда́ние (that which is presented in defense or justification) · fi anomus (appeal, petition, entreaty) · it appello (appeal, petition, entreaty) · ru предло́г (excuse) · fi vastine (law: defendant's answer to plaintiff’s declaration) · bg молба (appeal, petition, entreaty) · yi בקשה (appeal, petition, entreaty) · ru тя́жба (law: cause in court) · ru суде́бный акт (law: cause in court) · mk молба (appeal, petition, entreaty) · it eccezione (law: that which is alleged by a party in support of his cause) · hu védelem (that which is presented in defense or justification) · es justificación (excuse) · nl pleidooi (appeal, petition, entreaty) · hu folyamodvány (appeal, petition, entreaty) · fi perustelu (that which is presented in defense or justification) · fi puolustelu (excuse) · ru заявле́ние (that which is presented in defense or justification) · nl smeekbede (appeal, petition, entreaty) · fi oikeusjuttu (law: cause in court) · nl pleidooi (excuse) · ja 嘆願 (appeal, petition, entreaty) · bg апел (appeal, petition, entreaty) · fa دادخواست (that which is presented in defense or justification) · eo pledo (appeal, petition, entreaty) · it richiesta (appeal, petition, entreaty) · pt desculpa (that which is presented in defense or justification) · pt rogo (appeal, petition, entreaty) · de Ersuchen (appeal, petition, entreaty) · hu ürügy (excuse) · hu kérvény (appeal, petition, entreaty) · sv svaromål (law: defendant's answer to plaintiff’s declaration) · de Plädoyer (law: defendant's answer to plaintiff’s declaration) · ru про́сьба (appeal, petition, entreaty) · hu mentség (excuse) · de Entschuldigung (excuse) · fi puolustus (that which is presented in defense or justification) · de Bitte (appeal, petition, entreaty) · ja 弁解 (excuse) · fi tekosyy (excuse) · ru иск (law: that which is alleged by a party in support of his cause) · ca súplica (appeal, petition, entreaty) · fi vetoomus (appeal, petition, entreaty) · fr supplication (appeal, petition, entreaty) · pt desculpa (excuse) · it scusa (excuse) · bg извинение (excuse) · fa تقاضا (appeal, petition, entreaty) · ru жа́лоба (law: that which is alleged by a party in support of his cause) · cmn 辯解 /辩解 (that which is presented in defense or justification) · de Verteidigung (excuse) · tr mazeret (excuse) · es ruego (appeal, petition, entreaty) · nl zaak (law: cause in court) · hi याचना (appeal, petition, entreaty) · es alegato (that which is presented in defense or justification) · ru суде́бный проце́сс (law: cause in court) · de Appell (appeal, petition, entreaty) · pt apelo (appeal, petition, entreaty) · nl pleidooi (that which is presented in defense or justification) · ga pléadáil (law: that which is alleged by a party in support of his cause) · ru призы́в (appeal, petition, entreaty) · es petición (appeal, petition, entreaty) · es alegato (law: defendant's answer to plaintiff’s declaration) · it petizione (appeal, petition, entreaty) · cmn 請求 /请求 (appeal, petition, entreaty) · bg защитна реч (law: defendant's answer to plaintiff’s declaration) · hu védőbeszéd (that which is presented in defense or justification) · bg оправдание (that which is presented in defense or justification) · es alegato (appeal, petition, entreaty) · nl rechtszaak (law: cause in court) · de Plädoyer (that which is presented in defense or justification) · pt súplica (appeal, petition, entreaty) · hu előterjesztés (appeal, petition, entreaty) · ru мольба́ (appeal, petition, entreaty) · cmn 辯護 /辩护 (that which is presented in defense or justification) · hu kifogás (excuse) · it istanza (appeal, petition, entreaty) · ga pléadáil (law: allegation of fact in a cause, as distinguished from a demurrer) · ru заявле́ние (law: defendant's answer to plaintiff’s declaration) · ru оправда́ние (excuse) · it eccezione (that which is presented in defense or justification) · ota معذرت (excuse) · fi selitys (excuse) · bg петиция (appeal, petition, entreaty) · fr appel (appeal, petition, entreaty) · it giustificazione (excuse) · nl pleidooi (law: defendant's answer to plaintiff’s declaration) · tr bahane (excuse)