Plea — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈplē/

Meaning & Definition of Plea

Plea (noun)

  1. a legal suit or action
  2. an allegation made by a party in support of a cause
  3. an allegation of fact

Plea (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an earnest request

    "the captive made an impassioned plea for his life to be spared"

    similar: adjuration, appeal, conjuration, cry, desire, entreaty, petition, pleading, prayer, solicitation, suit, suppliance, supplication
    related: application, requisition, call, claim, demand, insistence

  2. an explanation that frees one from fault or blame

    "my only plea is that I've been overworked lately"

    similar: alibi, apology, defense, excuse, justification, reason
    related: color, guise, pretense, pretext, rationale, rationalization, vindication, whitewash, cop-out, out, acknowledgment, atonement, confession, extenuation, palliation

Related Entry: Cop (verb)

Cop is a different word from Plea. The synonyms below are for cop, not for plea.

  1. to get possession of (something) by giving money in exchange for

    "I copped a great outfit for only $50"

    similar: buy, pick up, purchase, take
    related: acquire, gain, garner, get, obtain, procure, secure, win, finance, pay (for), spring (for), barter (for), deal (for), dicker (over), exchange (for), haggle (for), negotiate (about), trade (for), bargain (with), chaffer (with), horse-trade (with), palter (with), bid, offer, rebuy, repurchase
    near: deal (in), market, merchandise, retail, sell, vend

  2. to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly

    "some concertgoers rushed pell-mell through the doors so that they could cop the seats down front"

    similar: bag, capture, catch, collar, corral, get, glom, grab, grapple, hook, land, nab, nail, net, nobble (British slang), rap, seize, snag, snap (up), snare, snatch, trap, take hold (of)
    related: glove, halter, lasso, rope, apprehend, arrest, detain, bay, corner, clasp, clutch, fasten (on), fist, grasp, grip, hold, latch (on or onto), secure, rend, wrest, enmesh, ensnare, entangle, entrap, mesh, abduct, kidnap, spirit (away or off)
    opposite: miss
    near: discharge, free, liberate, release, drop, loosen, unhand

Related Entry: Cop (to) (verb)

Cop (to) is a different word from Plea. The synonyms below are for cop (to), not for plea.

  1. to make an acknowledgment of something unpleasant as true or valid

    "the defendant made a deal with the prosecutor and copped to a lesser charge"

    similar: admit, confess, fess (up), own (up)
    related: blab, talk, tattle, babble, spill
    near: clam up, hush, quiet (down), shut up

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Plea

The most common words with a similar meaning to Plea:

adjuration, appeal, conjuration, cry, desire, entreaty, petition, pleading, prayer, solicitation, suit, suppliance, supplication, alibi, apology, defense, excuse, justification, reason

Related Words for Plea

application, requisition, call, claim, demand, insistence, color, guise, pretense, pretext, rationale, rationalization, vindication, whitewash, cop-out, out, acknowledgment, atonement, confession, extenuation, palliation

Origin & Etymology of Plea

Middle English plaid, plait, ple "contention, dispute, legal conflict, lawsuit," borrowed from Anglo-French plait, pleit, plaid, plé "speech, discussion of affairs, argument, dispute, action at law" (also continental Old French), going back to early Medieval Latin placitum "liking, will, pleasure, opinion, belief, design, decision, agreement, contract, gathering at an agreed time, assembly to decide on matters of state, session of a law court, law court, action at law," going back to Latin, "opinion, belief, (in law) agreed condition," noun derivative from neuter of placitus, past participle of placēre "to be pleasing, find favor, find acceptance, commend itself, be agreed on" please:1

First known use: 13th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Plea

Words & Phrases Containing Plea

plea bargaining, cop a plea, insanity plea

Frequently Asked Questions about Plea

What does "Plea" mean?

"Plea" means a legal suit or action. As a noun, it is defined as: a legal suit or action. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Plea"?

Other words for "Plea" include adjuration, appeal, conjuration, cry, desire, entreaty, petition and pleading. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Plea" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Plea"?

There are 40 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Plea". Common alternatives include adjuration, appeal, conjuration, cry, desire, entreaty, petition, pleading, prayer and solicitation.

How do you use "Plea" in a sentence?

Examples of "Plea" in a sentence: "the captive made an impassioned plea for his life to be spared"; "my only plea is that I've been overworked lately".

Is "Plea" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Plea" is a noun.

Is "Plea" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Plea" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Plea"?

"Plea" is pronounced /ˈplē/.

What is the origin of the word "Plea"?

"Plea" comes from Middle English plaid, plait, ple "contention, dispute, legal conflict, lawsuit," borrowed from Anglo-French plait, pleit, plaid, plé "speech, discussion of affairs, argument, dispute, action at law" (also continental Old French), going back to early Medieval Latin placitum "liking, will, pleasure, opinion, belief, design, decision, agreement, contract, gathering at an agreed time, assembly to decide on matters of state, session of a law court, law court, action at law," going back to Latin, "opinion, belief, (in law) agreed condition," noun derivative from neuter of placitus, past participle of placēre "to be pleasing, find favor, find acceptance, commend itself, be agreed on" please:1. First known use: 13th century.