/ pliː; NAmE / noun
1.
( formal ) plea (for sth) an urgent emotional request :
She made an impassioned plea for help.
a plea to industries to stop pollution
He refused to listen to her tearful pleas.
2.
( law ) a statement made by sb or for sb who is accused of a crime :
a plea of guilty / not guilty
to enter a guilty plea
3.
plea of sth ( law ) a reason given to a court for doing or not doing sth :
He was charged with murder, but got off on a plea of insanity.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense lawsuit ): from Old French plait , plaid agreement, discussion, from Latin placitum a decree, neuter past participle of placere to please.