plead

UK: /ˈpliːd/ US: /plid/ ,(plēd)

Inflections of 'plead' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

pleads

v 3rd person singular

pleading

v pres p

pleaded

v past

pled

v past (Mainly US & Scot)

plead

v past (UK)

pleaded

v past p

pled

v past p (Mainly US & Scot)

plead

v past p (UK)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

plead /plid/   v., plead•ed or pled/plɛd/ ;
plead•ing. 

1. to request sincerely;
   beg:
   [no object] to plead for more time.
2. to use as an excuse, defense, or justification:
   [~ + object] He pleaded ignorance of the law.
3. Law
   • [~ + object] to argue (a case) before a court.
   • to answer a charge (with a response): [no object]
     How do you plead?
     [~ + object]
     He pled insanity and was not convicted of murder.

plead•er, n. [countable] See -plac-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

plead  (plēd), v., plead•ed or pled;
plead•ing. 
v.i. 

1. to appeal or entreat earnestly:
   to plead for time.
2. to use arguments or persuasions, as with a person, for or against something:
   She pleaded with him not to take the job.
3. to afford an argument or appeal:
   His youth pleads for him.
4. Law
   • to make any allegation or plea in an action at law.
   • to put forward an answer on the part of a defendant to a legal declaration or charge.
   • to address a court as an advocate.
   • [Obs.] to prosecute a suit or action at law.

v.t. 

5. to allege or urge in defense, justification, or excuse:
   to plead ignorance.
6. Law
   • to maintain (a cause) by argument before a court.
   • to allege or set forth (something) formally in an action at law.
   • to allege or cite in legal defense:
     to plead a statute of limitations.

• early Medieval Latin placitāre to litigate, derivative of Latin placitum opinion. See plea
• Old French plaid(i)er to go to law, plead
• Middle English plaiden 1200–50

Synonyms

• 1. beg, supplicate.
• 2. reason.
• 5. claim.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

plead / pliːd/ verb (pleads, pleading, pleaded, plead / plɛd/, pled / plɛd/)

1. when intr, often followed by with: to appeal earnestly or humbly (to)
2. (tr; may take a clause as object) to give as an excuse; offer in justification or extenuation: to plead ignorance, he pleaded that he was insane
3. to declare oneself to be (guilty or not guilty) in answer to the charge
4. to advocate (a case) in a court of law
5. (intransitive) to file pleadings
6. to address a court as an advocate

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French plaidier, from Medieval Latin placitāre to have a lawsuit, from Latin placēre to please; see plea

ˈpleadable adjective

ˈpleader noun