plead

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /pliːd/ See IPA manual

Freq #6158

Meanings

1

verb
To ask for something in a very emotional and urgent way.

He pleaded with me not to leave the house.
2

verb
To officially state in a court of law whether you are guilty or not guilty.

The defendant pleaded not guilty.
3

verb
To give something as an excuse or reason.

Not wishing to attend the banquet, I pleaded illness.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to ask for something in a... beg entreat implore appeal

3 verb · to give something as an... claim allege

Word family

Forms pleadedpleadingpleadspled

Derived forms counterpleadempleadimpleadinterpleadmispleadoutpleadpleadablepleaderrepleadunpleaded

Related forms plea pleasant please pleasurable pleasure

Etymology

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”).

pleden Middle English plaider Old French placitum la-med

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# plead

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /pliːd/
**Frequency rank:** 6158

## Meanings
1. To ask for something in a very emotional and urgent way.
2. To officially state in a court of law whether you are guilty or not guilty.
3. To give something as an excuse or reason.

## Examples
- He pleaded with me not to leave the house.
- The defendant pleaded not guilty.
- Not wishing to attend the banquet, I pleaded illness.

## Derived Forms
- counterplead
- emplead
- implead
- interplead
- misplead
- outplead
- pleadable
- pleader
- replead
- unpleaded

## Related Forms
- plea
- pleasant
- please
- pleasurable
- pleasure

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: pleden
- Root: plaider
- Root: placitum

## Etymology
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”).

## AI Etymology
Plead comes 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”). In present-day English it covers to ask for something in a very emotional and urgent way, to officially state in a court of law whether you are guilty or not guilty, and to give something as an excuse or reason. The wider family includes derived forms such as counterplead, emplead, implead, interplead, misplead and related forms such as plea, pleasant, please, pleasurable.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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