plead
verb/pliːd/
/pliːd/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they plead | /pliːd/ /pliːd/ |
| he / she / it pleads | /pliːdz/ /pliːdz/ |
| past simple pleaded | /ˈpliːdɪd/ /ˈpliːdɪd/ |
| past participle pleaded | /ˈpliːdɪd/ /ˈpliːdɪd/ |
| (North American English also) past simple pled | /pled/ /pled/ |
| (North American English also) past participle pled | /pled/ /pled/ |
| -ing form pleading | /ˈpliːdɪŋ/ /ˈpliːdɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to ask somebody for something in a very strong and serious way synonym beg
- plead (with somebody) (to do something) She pleaded with him not to go.
- plead (with somebody) (for something) I was forced to plead for my child's life.
- pleading eyes
- plead to do something He pleaded to be allowed to see his mother one more time.
- + speech ‘Do something!’ she pleaded.
Extra Examples- His eyes silently pleaded with her.
- The teacher was today desperately pleading for news of her son who has disappeared.
- They pleaded for mercy.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- almost
- silently
- successfully
- …
- for
- with
- [intransitive, transitive, no passive] to state in court that you are guilty or not guilty of a crime
- (+ adj.) to plead guilty/not guilty
- How do you plead? (= said by the judge at the start of the trial)
- The accused was deemed unfit to plead.
- plead something He tried to plead insanity (= say that he was seriously mentally ill and therefore not responsible for his actions) but the court convicted him.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryphrases- plead guilty
- plead not guilty
- [transitive] plead something to present a case to a court
- They hired a top lawyer to plead their case.
- [transitive, intransitive] to argue in support of somebody/something
- plead something She appeared on television to plead the cause of political prisoners everywhere.
- plead for somebody/something The United Nations has pleaded for a halt to the bombing.
- [transitive, no passive] plead something (for something) | plead that… to give something as an explanation or excuse for something
- He pleaded family problems for his lack of concentration.
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘to wrangle’): from Old French plaidier ‘go to law’, from plaid ‘discussion’, from Latin placitum ‘a decree’, neuter past participle of placere ‘to please’.
Check pronunciation:
plead