plea /pliː/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: plait , plaid , from Latin placitum 'decision' , from placere ; ⇨ ↑ please 2 ]
1 . [countable] a request that is urgent or full of emotion
plea for
a plea for help
Caldwell made a plea for donations.
plea to
The parents made an emotional plea to their child’s kidnappers.
2 . [countable usually singular] a statement by someone in a court of law saying whether they are guilty or not:
a guilty plea
make/enter a plea
Adams entered a plea of ‘not guilty’.
3 . [singular] an excuse for something:
He refused the appointment on a plea of illness.