plead /'plēd/ vb plead·ed or pled also plead /'pled/, plead·ing [Anglo-French plaider to argue in a court of law, from Old French plaid legal action, trial more at plea]
vi
1: to make an allegation in an action or other legal proceeding; esp: to answer the pleading or charge of the other party by denying facts therein stated or by alleging new facts
the defendant shall be given a copy of the indictment or information before the defendant is called upon to plead — Kansas Statutes Annotated see also alternative
2: to make a specific plea
plead not guilty; also: to make a plea of guilty
agreed to plead to the lesser charge
vt
1: to allege in or by way of a pleading: state in a pleading
unless plaintiff plead s and proves facts showing actual malice, he cannot recover punitive damages — Kumaran v. Brotman, 617 N.E.2d 191 (1993)
plead a case of fraudulent conveyance
2: to offer as an excuse
cannot plead ignorance of the law
plead·able adj
plead·er n
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.