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| plead [ pleed ] (past and past participle plead·ed or pled [ pled ], present participle plead·ing, 3rd person present singular pleads) |
verb |
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| Definition: |
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1. intransitive verb beg earnestly: to make an earnest or urgent entreaty, often in emotional terms
  I pleaded with her to stay.
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2. transitive verb offer reason as excuse: to use a particular reason or circumstance to excuse or justify behavior
It's no use pleading ignorance.
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3. transitive verb declare guilt or innocence: to answer "guilty" or "not guilty" in response to a charge in a court of law
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4. transitive and intransitive verb offer argument in support of something: to argue a case in support of somebody or something, especially in a court of law
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| [13th century. < Anglo-Norman pleder< Old French plaid (see plea)] |
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| plead·a·ble adjective |
| plead·er noun |
| plead·ing·ly adverb |
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