plea

plea  (pl)

n.

1. An earnest request; an appeal: spoke out in a plea for greater tolerance.

2. An excuse; a pretext: "necessity,/The Tyrant's plea" John Milton.

3. Law

a. An allegation offered in pleading a case.

b. A defendant's answer to the declaration made by the plaintiff in a civil action.

c. The answer of the accused to a criminal charge or indictment: entered a plea of not guilty.

d. A special answer depending on or demonstrating one or more reasons why a suit should be delayed, dismissed, or barred in equity law.

e. An action or suit.

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[Middle English plai, lawsuit, from Old French plai, plaid, from Late Latin placitum, decree, from Latin, from neuter past participle of placre, to please; see plk-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

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plea

Noun

1. an emotional appeal

2. Law a statement by or on behalf of a defendant

3. an excuse: his plea of poverty rings a little hollow [Anglo-Norman plai]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	plea - a humble request for help from someone in authority supplication appeal, entreaty, prayer - earnest or urgent request; "an entreaty to stop the fighting"; "an appeal for help"; "an appeal to the public to keep calm"
	2.	plea - (law) a defendant's answer by a factual matter (as distinguished from a demurrer) answer - the principal pleading by the defendant in response to plaintiff's complaint; in criminal law it consists of the defendant's plea of `guilty' or `not guilty' (or nolo contendere); in civil law it must contain denials of all allegations in the plaintiff's complaint that the defendant hopes to controvert and it can contain affirmative defenses or counterclaims counterplea - a plaintiff's reply to a defendant's plea dilatory plea - a plea that delays the action without settling the cause of action; it can challenge the jurisdiction or claim disability of the defendant etc. (such defenses are usually raised in the defendant's answer) insanity plea, plea of insanity - (criminal law) a plea in which the defendant claims innocence due to mental incompetence at the time law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"
	3.	plea - an answer indicating why a suit should be dismissed due process, due process of law - (law) the administration of justice according to established rules and principles; based on the principle that a person cannot be deprived of life or liberty or property without appropriate legal procedures and safeguards trial - (law) the determination of a person's innocence or guilt by due process of law; "he had a fair trial and the jury found him guilty"; "most of these complaints are settled before they go to trial" law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"

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plea

noun 1. appeal, request, suit, prayer, begging, petition, overture, entreaty, intercession, supplication

noun 2. Law suit, cause, action, allegation

noun 3. excuse, claim, defence, explanation, justification, pretext, vindication, extenuation

Translations

plea [pliː] n (= request) → súplica, petición f (= excuse); pretexto, disculpa;

(LAW) → alegato, defensa

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plea [pliː] n (= request) → appel m (= excuse); excuse f;

(Law) → défense f

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plea [pliː] n (= request) → Bitte f;

(Law);

to enter a plea of guilty/not guilty → sich schuldig/unschuldig erklären (= excuse); Vorwand m

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plea [pliː] n (= request) → preghiera, domanda (= excuse); scusa;

(LAW) → (argomento di) difesa