pleaplea /pliː/ ●○○ noun 
a plea for help Caldwell made a plea for donations.plea to The parents made an emotional plea to their child’s kidnappers.2[countable usually singular] a statement by someone in a court of law saying whether they are guilty or not: a guilty pleamake/enter a plea Adams entered a plea of ‘not guilty’.3[singular] an excuse for something: He refused the appointment on a plea of illness.
WORD ORIGINplea
Origin:
1200-1300 Old French plait, plaid, from Latin placitum ‘decision’, from placere; ➔ PLEASE2EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- A homeless mother of six made a tearful plea for a home for her family.
- Ignoring the man's pleas, the soldier shot him in the head.
- A heartfelt plea to any theatre proprietors who have a venue available during November.
- And owners note a perceptible increase in door-hangers, fliers and other pleas from agents to put their homes up for sale.
- And you stand condemned to centuries of ignominy, your well-polished plea unheard.
- Benitez, disgusted, gestured toward home plate umpire Jim Joyce, then turned toward McCoy, who ignored his plea.
- He sent a message saying that the Phoenix King did not answer demands but granted pleas.
- My final plea is that those who create new policies take seriously and consider fully the perspectives and situations of the practitioner.
- She had returned to try one more plea, but had stopped to listen.
- The goddess listened to his plea.
Longman Language Activatora statement, letter, message etc in which you ask for something
a statement, letter etc in which you ask for something politely or formally: · My grandfather's last request was that there should be no flowers at his funeral.request for: · She refused all requests for an interview.request that: · My request that everyone remain seated was ignored.request to do something: · Davis's request to do research rather than teach this semester is being considered.at somebody's request (=because someone makes a request): · Cummings eventually resigned at the governor's request.on/upon request (=when it is requested): · Information about our testing procedure is available on request.make a request: · Ray made a formal written request to meet with Douglas.grant somebody's request formal (=say yes to it): · The board has granted your request for funding.
a strong request saying very clearly what you want, especially when you are asking for something that someone does not want to give you: · A list of the students' demands was presented to the dean of the law school.demand for: · The union's demand for an 8% across-the-board increase is still under consideration.demand that: · A demand from your boss that you babysit his children is clearly unreasonable.demand to do something: · The government has refused the rebels' demand to release their leader from prison.make a demand: · The kidnappers made several demands in their telephone call to police.
a request for something, especially money, that someone thinks they have a legal right to have: claim for: · The local people's claims for compensation from the chemical factory have so far been ignored.make a claim: · After the fire we made a claim to our insurance company.
a document signed by many people that is given to a government or other organization asking them to do something that until now they have been unwilling to do: · A petition signed by 1000 hospital doctors will be handed to the Minister of Health at lunchtime today.· Local groups have collected 17,000 votes on a petition to recall the mayor.
a letter or form that someone sends when they are asking for something such as a job, official document etc: · Since I left university I've sent off nearly fifty job applications.application for: · We're pleased to announce that your application for membership has been accepted.· The first two banks Williams visited denied her application for a loan.
an urgent request for something important such as freedom, money etc, especially in order to help someone in a bad situation: · Dozens of relief agencies have responded to the drought-stricken country's appeal.appeal for: · The war continues as a fresh UN appeal for a ceasefire has been rejected.
especially British an official request for someone that you do not know well to do something, especially when you are not sure if they will do it: approach from: · The footballer said he'd received an approach from another team, and that he was considering the offer.make an approach: · An official approach has been made but the hostages are unlikely to be released.
a strong emotional request for someone to help you or be kind to you: · Ignoring the man's pleas, the soldier shot him in the head.plea for: · A homeless mother of six made a tearful plea for a home for her family.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Caldwell made a plea for donations. Adams entered a plea of ‘not guilty’.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Wilson entered a plea of not guilty (=said that he was not guilty at the beginning of a court case). She appeared on television to make an impassioned plea for help.
Caldwell made a plea for donations. Adams entered a plea of ‘not guilty’. Wilson entered a plea of not guilty (=said that he was not guilty at the beginning of a court case). She appeared on television to make an impassioned plea for help.· She made a passionate plea for tolerance.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· Exxon subsequently withdrew guilty pleas to four misdemeanour charges relating to the spill, thereby formally dissolving the out of court settlement.· The prosecutions that did not end until this year resulted in 14 convictions and guilty pleas.· It can withdraw its guilty pleas and go to trial.· Maryland authorities obtained a guilty plea from him to charges of securities violations, he admits.· It can let its guilty pleas stand and then take its chances in court.· The division brought charges against thirty-six Klan defendants in thirteen cases, resulting in fifteen guilty pleas.· But the verdicts showed that the jury believed Hale despite his guilty plea and his admitted lies.· The Justice Department also obtained guilty pleas in several cases.
· The sisters are concerned and making an impassioned plea.· The Princess Royal yesterday made an impassioned plea for help on behalf of the country's six million carers.· The parents' impassioned pleas that the best places of safety for their children were with their families was disregarded.· If the impassioned pleas are directed at those close to the culprits, I can not see them having much effect.
· He issued a passionate plea to Labour and the Conservatives to spell out what they would do in a hung Parliament.
· I am compelled to add my personal plea to the current campaign for all young adults to receive the Salk vaccine.· And Burr has issued a personal plea to Millwall fans in the match programme.· He had state officials and bank presidents making personal pleas on his behalf.
NOUN· He originally faced a 25-count indictment, which was dismissed as part of the plea agreement.· The Reagan-era Interior Department chief faces a possible six-month sentence and $ 5, 000 fine in the plea agreement.· As part of her plea agreement, she agreed to cooperate with federal officials and received two years' probation.
· Six had reached plea bargain arrangements with the authorities and the remaining seven were due to be tried later in the year.· A source close to the defense team said the no contest plea was a key element in plea bargain negotiations.· With their case in trouble, prosecutors agreed to a plea bargain.· Herbert 92X refused to accept a plea bargain, since he regarded what had happened as an accident.· Within this context, many observers were not surprised that the prosecuting authorities reached an unusual plea bargain arrangement with Kanemaru.· Meaux accepted the plea bargain after the judge refused to suppress any of the evidence against him.· The commencement of the trial ended a period of intense speculation that Barry would reach a plea bargain with the federal authorities.· Ray Lewis sold out his homies for time served and a misdemeanor plea bargain.
· A classic case of plea bargaining.· But they say methods such as plea bargaining help to stop the courts becoming congested.· The general sentiment among lawyers is that the Commission is likely to favour plea bargaining if sufficient safeguards can be built in.· The system in Britain is not as dominated by plea bargaining, but it is certainly present.
VERB· The class have to plead for mercy on his behalf, but the King's envoy will only accept written pleas.· Herbert 92X refused to accept a plea bargain, since he regarded what had happened as an accident.· But the jury at Northampton Crown Court didn't accept his not guilty plea.· Meaux accepted the plea bargain after the judge refused to suppress any of the evidence against him.· She accepted a plea bargain and received a general discharge under honorable conditions.
· Arthur changed his plea half-way through his trial earlier and admitted the offence.· If federal officials had their way, the defendants in three high-profile spy cases would change their pleas of not guilty.· They changed their pleas mid-way through a trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court.· He wrote a letter seeking to change his plea three days later, but the judge died before acting on it.· But as the trial opened, she changed her plea and admitted shooting Staudinger last December, at his Manhattan apartment.· A last-minute application by him to change his plea was turned down by Judge Robin David yesterday.· After changing their pleas to guilty 19 of the defendants were given suspended sentences; the remaining defendant was acquitted.
· So may I enter a plea for simplicity, homeliness and humour, in the teaching of chemistry?· Bokin, wearing a jailhouse orange shirt and slacks, did not enter a plea during his court hearing.· He is not required to enter a plea at this point.· His first appearance, an arraignment to enter a plea of guilty or not-guilty, is required by law.· He entered no plea, but had previously denied any involvement in the killings.· Highway 101 near Asti July 11, but entered a plea of no contest to assaulting the peace officer during the escape.· Neither suspect entered a plea Tuesday.
· But she did not hear his plea because the vertebrae in her neck had already snapped.· Our request has been heard, our plea has been responded to.
· Jacqueline Hamilton, 41, also claims the police have ignored her pleas for help.· Benitez, disgusted, gestured toward home plate umpire Jim Joyce, then turned toward McCoy, who ignored his plea.· Trevor, thankfully, ignored my plea.· He ignored Cranston's excited pleas to hurry and went over to the window, unrolling them carefully.· Impassively, relentlessly, Curtis continued to soak the ranting man's clothing, ignoring his pleas.· A note blaming social services chiefs for ignoring their plea for help was on the dashboard.
· The sisters are concerned and making an impassioned plea.· He had state officials and bank presidents making personal pleas on his behalf.· Brittan: Can I make a final plea?· Pataki hugged Mondello as Kemp made a plea for party unity.· Tizhe made his decision to plea the day after prosecutors introduced devastating evidence that surfaced less than two weeks ago.· He made no plea and was remanded in custody.· I was on the verge of making one last plea when I was propelled backward through the open door.
· He flatly rejected the pleas of Aung San to stand for election.
· At the dinner, Gandhi repeated his plea to present the award.
· They responded eagerly to the plea for help from their re-attached and perhaps rather intimidated kinsmen.
· Therefore, I am pleased to support this plea.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1[countable] a request that is urgent or full of emotionplea for- Duckett copped a plea to avoid going to jail.
- Thought I was copping a plea on ... diminished responsibility.
a plea for help Caldwell made a plea for donations.plea to The parents made an emotional plea to their child’s kidnappers.2[countable usually singular] a statement by someone in a court of law saying whether they are guilty or not: a guilty pleamake/enter a plea Adams entered a plea of ‘not guilty’.3[singular] an excuse for something: He refused the appointment on a plea of illness.