plea
C1Formal; common in legal, journalistic, and academic contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A formal, urgent, or emotional request or appeal.
A defendant's formal statement in a court of law, answering a charge or declaring guilt/innocence (e.g., guilty plea). Can also refer to a reason or excuse offered for something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word carries a strong sense of urgency, desperation, or formal supplication. In a legal context, it is a highly specific technical term.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Legal usage is identical. In general use, 'plea' is slightly more common in UK media, often in phrases like 'plea for help' or 'desperate plea'. In US media, 'plea deal' and 'plea bargain' are extremely frequent.
Connotations
Similar connotations of urgency/formality in both variants. The legal connotation is primary in the US due to high visibility of plea bargaining.
Frequency
More frequent in American English due to the pervasive use of 'plea bargain' in the criminal justice system.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
plea for [noun]plea to [verb]plea that [clause]make/issue/enter a pleaVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “cop a plea (US slang: plead guilty to a lesser charge)”
- “plea of the crown (UK legal, archaic: criminal prosecution)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare; possibly in 'a plea for more funding' or 'a plea to shareholders'.
Academic
Common in legal, political science, and historical texts discussing justice systems or rhetorical appeals.
Everyday
Used in news reports ('a mother's plea for her child's safe return') or formal writing.
Technical
Core term in law: 'arraignment', 'plea hearing', 'nolo contendere plea'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He will plea for clemency before the committee.
American English
- The defendant is expected to plea guilty to avoid a trial.
adjective
British English
- The plea bargain system is less prevalent here.
American English
- They reached a plea agreement late last night.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She made a plea for quiet.
- The charity issued a plea for donations after the earthquake.
- Despite his lawyer's plea for leniency, the judge imposed the maximum sentence.
- The defendant changed his plea to 'not guilty' on the advice of new counsel, complicating the prosecution's case.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Please' with the 'se' cut off in desperation. A 'plea' is a desperate 'please'.
Conceptual Metaphor
JUSTICE IS A THEATRE / COMMUNICATION IS A GAME. The defendant 'enters a plea' onto the legal stage. A 'plea bargain' is a negotiated move in the legal game.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'плач' (weeping/crying).
- The legal term 'plea' is not 'призыв' (call/appeal) but specifically a statement to the court: often translated as 'заявление (подсудимого)' or 'ходатайство'.
- 'Plea for help' is closer to 'мольба о помощи' than to 'просьба'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He made a plea guilty.' Correct: 'He entered a guilty plea.' or 'He pleaded guilty.'
- Overusing in informal contexts where 'request' or 'ask' is more appropriate.
Practice
Quiz
In a US courtroom, 'to enter a plea' most specifically means:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While it is a core legal term, it is also used in general contexts to mean a serious, urgent, or emotional request (e.g., 'a plea for help').
In law, a 'plea' is a defendant's answer to a charge. An 'appeal' is a request to a higher court to review a decision. In general use, 'plea' suggests more desperation, while 'appeal' can be more reasoned or formal.
Yes, but it is less common and often considered non-standard or informal ('He pled guilty' is more standard). The standard verb is 'to plead'.
A 'plea bargain' is an agreement in a criminal case where the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for a more lenient sentence or the dropping of other charges.
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