Webster's English Dictionary

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plea

Cross references:
  1. demurrer               2. apology               
 
plea \'ple-\ n [ME plaid, plai, fr. OF plait, plaid, fr. ML placitu]m, fr. 
   L decision, decree, fr. neut. of placitus, pp. of place-re to please, be 
   decided - more at PLEASE 1: a legal suit or action  2: an allegation made 
   by a party in support of his cause : as  2a: an allegation of fact  2b1: a 
   defendant's answer to a plaintiff's declaration in common-law practi ce 
   2b2: an accused person's answer to a charge or indictment in criminal pract 
   ice 2c: a plea of guilty to an indictment  3: something alleged as an 
   excuse : PRETEXT  4: an earnest entreaty : APPEAL