plea

plea
/plee/, n.
1. an appeal or entreaty: a plea for mercy.
2. something that is alleged, urged, or pleaded in defense or justification.
3. an excuse; pretext: He begged off on the plea that his car wasn't working.
4. Law.
a. an allegation made by, or on behalf of, a party to a legal suit, in support of his or her claim or defense.
b. a defendant's answer to a legal declaration or charge.
c. (in courts of equity) a plea that admits the truth of the declaration, but alleges special or new matter in avoidance.
d. Obs. a suit or action.
5. cop a plea, Slang. See cop1 (def. 4b).
[1175-1225; ME ple, earlier plaid < OF < early ML placitum law-court, suit, decision, decree, L: opinion (lit., that which is pleasing or agreeable), n. use of neut. of ptp. of placere to please]
Syn. 1. request, petition, supplication, solicitation, suit. 3. justification.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • plea — / plē/ n [Anglo French plei plai legal action, trial, from Old French plait plaid, from Medieval Latin placitum, from Latin, decision, decree, from neuter of placitus, past participle of placēre to please, be decided] 1 a: an allegation of fact… …   Law dictionary

  • plea — [pliː] noun [countable usually singular] LAW a statement by someone in a court of law, saying whether they are guilty of a crime or not: • Your honor, we enter (= make ) a plea of not guilty . * * …   Financial and business terms

  • plea — [pli:] n [Date: 1200 1300; : Old French; Origin: plait, plaid, from Latin placitum decision , from placere; PLEASE2] 1.) a request that is urgent or full of emotion plea for ▪ a plea for help ▪ Caldwell made a plea for donations …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Plea — Plea, n. [OE. plee, plai, plait, fr. OF. plait, plaid, plet, LL. placitum judgment, decision, assembly, court, fr. L. placitum that which is pleasing, an opinion, sentiment, from placere to please. See {Please}, and cf. {Placit}, {Plead}.] 1.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • plea — [ pli ] noun count ** 1. ) an urgent or emotional request for something: plea for: The police ignored her pleas for help. make a plea: The boy s parents have made an emotional plea for him to come home. 2. ) LEGAL a statement that someone makes… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Plea — bezeichnet: eine Wanze namens Plea minutissima, Plea leachi oder Plea atomaria, deutsch Wasserzwerg in angloamerikanisch geprägten Strafprozessen ein Bekenntnis des Angeklagten auf „schuldig“ (guilty plea) oder „nicht schuldig“ (not guilty plea) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • plea — [plē] n. [ME plai < OFr plaid, suit, plea < L placitum, opinion, order, orig. that which is pleasing, orig. neut. pp. of placere, to PLEASE] 1. a statement in defense or justification; excuse 2. an earnest and urgent request; appeal;… …   English World dictionary

  • plea — (n.) early 13c., lawsuit, from Anglo Fr. plai (late 12c.), O.Fr. plait lawsuit, decision, decree (9c.), from M.L. placitum lawsuit, in classical Latin, opinion, decree, lit. that which pleases, thing which is agreed upon, properly neuter pp. of… …   Etymology dictionary

  • plea — [n1] begging request appeal, application, entreaty, imploration, imprecation, intercession, orison, overture, petition, prayer, round robin*, solicitation, suit, supplication; concept 662 Ant. answer, reply plea [n2] excuse, defense action, alibi …   New thesaurus

  • Plea — Plea, Gattung der Wanzenart Notonectides …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • plea — 1 *apology, apologia, excuse, pretext, alibi Analogous words: explanation, justification, rationalization (see corresponding verbs at EXPLAIN): defense, vindication (see corresponding verbs at MAINTAIN) 2 *prayer, suit, petition, appeal Analogous …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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