plead

Plead is a verb with several closely related meanings. In law, to plead is to present a formal statement of one’s case to a court or tribunal, typically through an attorney. In general English, to plead can also mean to beg or appeal earnestly for something, or to assert or claim something, often with emotional emphasis.

In legal contexts, a defendant typically pleads a plea—guilty, not guilty, or no contest (nolo contendere in some jurisdictions). Plea bargaining is a common process to resolve charges by negotiating a plea with prosecutors. The noun form plea refers to the formal statement or answer to the charges.

In non-legal usage, plead is often followed by with or for: to plead with someone or to plead for mercy. Common collocations include plead innocence, plead poverty, plead ignorance, and plead for help. The phrase plead one’s case is used to describe presenting arguments in one’s favor, while plead the Fifth refers to invoking the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in the United States.

Conjugation varies by formality and region. The base form is plead; the past tense and past participle can be pleaded or pled, with pled being common in American English, especially in legal or informal contexts. The present participle is pleading.

Related terms include plea, pleading, and plea bargaining. While plea is the noun for the formal statement or claim, pleading is the act or process of presenting a case or argument in court.