When someone charged with a crime pleads guilty or not guilty in a court of law, they officially state that they are guilty or not guilty of the crime. Morris had pleaded guilty to robbery
If you plead a particular thing as the reason for doing or not doing something, you give it as your excuse. Mr Giles pleads ignorance as his excuse It was no defence to plead that they were only obeying orders
If you plead with someone to do something, you ask them in an intense, emotional way to do it. The lady pleaded with her daughter to come back home He was kneeling on the floor pleading for mercy `Do not say that,' she pleaded I pleaded to be allowed to go. = beg
To present an answer, by allegation of fact, to the declaration of a plaintiff; to deny the plaintiff's declaration and demand, or to allege facts which show that ought not to recover in the suit; in a less strict sense, to make an allegation of fact in a cause; to carry on the allegations of the respective parties in a cause; to carry on a suit or plea
appeal or request earnestly; "I pleaded with him to stop" enter a plea, as in courts of law; "She pleaded not guilty" offer as an excuse or plea; "She was pleading insanity" make an allegation in an action or other legal proceeding, especially answer the previous pleading of the other party by denying facts therein stated or by alleging new facts
To allege or cite in a legal plea or defense, or for repelling a demand in law; to answer to an indictment; as, to plead usury; to plead statute of limitations; to plead not guilty
To allege or adduce in proof, support, or vendication; to offer in excuse; as, the law of nations may be pleaded in favor of the rights of ambassadors
make an allegation in an action or other legal proceeding, especially answer the previous pleading of the other party by denying facts therein stated or by alleging new facts
To argue in support of a claim, or in defense against the claim of another; to urge reasons for or against a thing; to attempt to persuade one by argument or supplication; to speak by way of persuasion; as, to plead for the life of a criminal; to plead with a judge or with a father
To discuss, defend, and attempt to maintain by arguments or reasons presented to a tribunal or person having uthority to determine; to argue at the bar; as, to plead a cause before a court or jury
If you plead the case or cause of someone or something, you speak out in their support or defence. He appeared before the Committee to plead his case