plead
plead — verb
1. to ask someone in a strong, emotional way for something you really want or need,
to ask someone in a strong, emotional way for something you really want or need, often because you are desperate.
Maya pleaded with her father to let her keep the stray puppy.
plead with + person + to-infinitive
The villagers pleaded for clean water after the flood ruined their wells.
plead for + noun (the thing wanted)
"Please don't go," Lina pleaded, gripping her brother's sleeve at the airport.
Doctors are pleading with the public to stay home during the heatwave.
Carlos pleaded with the manager to give his sister one more chance.
文法句型
plead with + person + to-infinitive
plead for + noun
用法筆記
Almost always followed by 'with' before the person being asked, and 'for' before the thing wanted. Rarely takes a direct object the way 'beg' does — say 'plead with him' rather than 'plead him'.
常見錯誤
2. during a criminal trial, to give the court your formal answer to a charge — eith
during a criminal trial, to give the court your formal answer to a charge — either admitting it, denying it, or naming a specific legal defense such as insanity.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to all four charges of fraud.
plead + (not) guilty + to + charge
Marcus pleaded guilty in exchange for a shorter sentence.
plea bargain context
Her lawyer advised her to plead no contest to avoid a long trial.
The young driver pleaded insanity after the fatal crash on Bridge Street.
Both brothers pleaded not guilty when they appeared before the judge on Monday.
- contest
to actively fight a charge in court rather than enter a plea.
文法句型
plead guilty / not guilty / no contest
plead + noun (insanity / self-defense)
用法筆記
Only sense that pairs with 'guilty' / 'not guilty' / 'no contest' as a complement, and the only one with 'to' marking the specific charge. Distinguish from sense 1 — here the speaker is not asking for anything, only giving a legal answer.
常見錯誤
3. to publicly argue in support of a person, group, or idea, often by giving reason
to publicly argue in support of a person, group, or idea, often by giving reasons why others should agree or help.
The senator pleaded the cause of small farmers during the budget debate.
plead + the cause of + group
Dr. Tanaka has spent ten years pleading the case for cleaner rivers in her region.
plead the case for + issue
She wrote a long letter pleading the rights of refugee children.
The lawyer pleaded her client's case skilfully before the jury.
- oppose
to argue against rather than for the position.
文法句型
plead + noun (a case / a cause)
plead + for / against + noun
用法筆記
Almost always takes 'case' or 'cause' as the object — these are the natural collocations. Frequent in journalism and political writing about advocacy.
常見錯誤
4. to give a particular condition — such as illness, lack of knowledge, or lack of
to give a particular condition — such as illness, lack of knowledge, or lack of money — as the reason why you cannot or did not do something.
Marcus pleaded illness and skipped the office party on Friday night.
plead + noun (excuse) + and + clause
When asked about the missing files, the assistant pleaded ignorance.
plead ignorance — common fixed collocation
The mayor pleaded poverty when residents asked for new playground equipment.
Lina pleaded a headache and went home early from her cousin's wedding.
- claim
more neutral; doesn't imply doubt about the truth of the excuse.
- cite
formal; presents the reason as evidence rather than as a personal excuse.
- use as an excuse
everyday paraphrase; less concise than 'plead'.
- admit
to acknowledge rather than offer a covering reason.
文法句型
plead + noun (ignorance / illness / poverty)
用法筆記
Object is almost always a state or condition (illness, ignorance, poverty, exhaustion, a prior commitment). Often carries a hint that the speaker doubts the excuse is fully true, especially in 'plead poverty' or 'plead ignorance'.