Word
plea
US/ˈpɫi/
UK/plˈiː/
Definitions
01an emotional request
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. an urgent and emotional request for help or for someone to do something.
n. an earnest or urgent entreaty or appeal, often made in a state of distress.
日本語:願い※
“The family made a public plea for the safe return of their missing dog.”
“The humanitarian organisation issued a desperate plea for medical supplies as the crisis in the border region intensified.”
02legal statement
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law Formal
n. a formal statement in court saying if you are guilty or not guilty of a crime.
n. a formal statement made by or on behalf of a defendant in a court of law.
“The defendant entered a plea of not guilty to all charges.”
“After months of negotiation, the suspect agreed to a reduced charge in exchange for a guilty plea.”
Usage
Commonly used with the verbs 'enter', 'make', or 'change'.
Synonyms
03an excuse
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary · Formal
n. a reason or excuse you give to explain why you did something or why you cannot do something.
n. an allegation or excuse used in defence or justification of an action.
Español:justificación
“He left the party early on the plea of having a headache.”
“The governor rejected the proposal on the plea that the state budget could not sustain further infrastructure spending.”
04to argue or plead
C2 · Proficiency Dialect · British English
v. to argue a case or ask for something in a serious way.
v. to plead or argue a cause; a regional variant of the standard verb 'plead'.
“The lawyer began to plea the case before the local magistrate.”
“In certain northern districts, you may still hear solicitors use the term to plea rather than to plead during preliminary hearings.”
Teaching tip
This verb form is rare in modern standard English; learners should use 'plead' in almost all contexts.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “plea” in context.
Verb
01. enter a plea
“The defendant is expected to enter a plea of not guilty during the arraignment tomorrow.”
verb + noun
02. ignore a plea for help
“The international community was criticized for ignoring the refugees' desperate pleas for help.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
03. make an impassioned plea
“The victim's mother made an impassioned plea for the kidnappers to release her son safely.”
verb + adj + noun
Adjective
04. special plea
“The lawyer made a special plea for leniency, citing his client's lack of prior convictions.”
adj + noun
05. urgent plea
“The hospital issued an urgent plea for blood donors following the multi-car accident.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. plea bargain
“He accepted a plea bargain to avoid a lengthy trial and a potentially harsher sentence.”
noun + noun
07. plea for mercy
“The prisoner's final plea for mercy was rejected by the governor at the last minute.”
noun + prep + noun
Preposition
08. in response to a plea
“The charity sent supplies in response to a plea from the earthquake-stricken region.”
prep + noun + prep + noun
09. plea agreement
10. plea deal
Real-World Examples
“He also faces state charges , although his lawyers are seeking to get those dismissed following his guilty plea.” “Back on July 28 , Nair stood before the podium and made a plea to the public for help in solving the case.” “Deals must also be approved by the court, and a separate hearing is typically scheduled for the defendant to enter a new plea.” “There had been reports in US media leading up to the hearing that Mangione would be taking a plea deal.” Etymology
From Middle English ple, from Old French plait, plaid, from Medieval Latin placitum (“a decree, sentence, suit, plea, etc., Latin an opinion, determination, prescription, order; literally, that which is pleasing, pleasure”), neuter of placitus, past participle of placere (“to please”). Cognate with Spanish pleito (“lawsuit, suit”). Doublet of placit. See also please, pleasure.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/plea
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0