PLEAD

(STATE) [verb] [past:] pleaded or US also pled [formal] - to make a statement of what you believe to be true, esp. in support of something or someone or in answer to an accusation in a law court(legal) The seven defendants were paying a high-powered attorney to plead their case (= argue for them in court). [T](legal) The defendant pleaded guilty/innocent to robbery with violence. [L only +adjective](legal) The judge ruled her unfit to plead (= to answer a legal charge) on the grounds of insanity. [I]He pleaded ignorance of (= said he did not know about) the package they found in his suitcase. [T]A department spokesperson pleaded official difficulties as the reason for the delay. [T]The factory can plead that, given problems of finance and technology, it is doing the best it can to reduce the noise. [+ that clause]