'Plea' definitions:
Definition of 'plea'
From: WordNet
noun
A humble request for help from someone in authority [syn: supplication, plea]
noun
(law) a defendant's answer by a factual matter (as distinguished from a demurrer)
noun
An answer indicating why a suit should be dismissed
Definition of 'Plea'
From: GCIDE
- Plea \Plea\, n. [OE. plee, plai, plait, fr. OF. plait, plaid, plet, LL. placitum judgment, decision, assembly, court, fr. L. placitum that which is pleasing, an opinion, sentiment, from placere to please. See Please, and cf. Placit, Plead.]
- 1. (Law) That which is alleged by a party in support of his cause; in a stricter sense, an allegation of fact in a cause, as distinguished from a demurrer; in a still more limited sense, and in modern practice, the defendant's answer to the plaintiff's declaration and demand. That which the plaintiff alleges in his declaration is answered and repelled or justified by the defendant's plea. In chancery practice, a plea is a special answer showing or relying upon one or more things as a cause why the suit should be either dismissed, delayed, or barred. In criminal practice, the plea is the defendant's formal answer to the indictment or information presented against him. [1913 Webster]
- 2. (Law) A cause in court; a lawsuit; as, the Court of Common Pleas. See under Common. [1913 Webster]
- The Supreme Judicial Court shall have cognizance of pleas real, personal, and mixed. --Laws of Massachusetts. [1913 Webster]
- 3. That which is alleged or pleaded, in defense or in justification; an excuse; an apology. "Necessity, the tyrant's plea." --Milton. [1913 Webster]
- No plea must serve; 't is cruelty to spare. --Denham. [1913 Webster]
- 4. An urgent prayer or entreaty. [1913 Webster]
- Pleas of the crown (Eng. Law), criminal actions. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'plea'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- adjuration,
- alibi,
- answer,
- apology,
- appeal,
- application,
- argument,
- argumentum,
- beseechment,
- bid,
- call,
- case,
- clamor,
- cons,
- consideration,
- counterstatement,
- cry,
- defence,
- defense,
- demurrer,
- denial,
- elenchus,
- entreaty,
- exception,
- excuse,
- explanation,
- extenuation,
- ignoratio elenchi,
- imploration,
- imploring,
- imprecation,
- invocation,
- invocatory plea,
- justification,
- mitigation,
- objection,
- obsecration,
- obtestation,
- out,
- overture,
- palliation,
- petition,
- plaidoyer,
- pleading,
- pleadings,
- prayer,
- pretext,
- pros,
- pros and cons,
- reason,
- rebuttal,
- refutation,
- reply,
- request,
- response,
- right,
- riposte,
- rogation,
- solicitation,
- special demurrer,
- special pleading,
- statement of defense,
- suit,
- supplication,
- talking point,
- vindication