'Pleas of the crown' definitions:

Definition of 'Pleas of the crown'

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]

Definition of 'Pleas of the crown'

From: GCIDE

Crown \Crown\ (kroun), n. [OE. corone, coroun, crune, croun, OF. corone, corune, F. couronne, fr. L. corona crown, wreath; akin to Gr. korw`nh anything curved, crown; cf. also L. curvus curved, E. curve, curb, Gael. cruinn round, W. crwn. Cf. Cornice, Corona, Coroner, Coronet.]
1. A wreath or garland, or any ornamental fillet encircling the head, especially as a reward of victory or mark of honorable distinction; hence, anything given on account of, or obtained by, faithful or successful effort; a reward. "An olive branch and laurel crown." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
They do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. --1 Cor. ix. 25. [1913 Webster]
Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. --Rev. ii. 10. [1913 Webster]
2. A royal headdress or cap of sovereignty, worn by emperors, kings, princes, etc. [1913 Webster]
Note: Nobles wear coronets; the triple crown of the pope is usually called a tiara. The crown of England is a circle of gold with crosses, fleurs-de-lis, and imperial arches, inclosing a crimson velvet cap, and ornamented with thousands of diamonds and precious stones. [1913 Webster]
3. The person entitled to wear a regal or imperial crown; the sovereign; -- with the definite article. [1913 Webster]
Parliament may be dissolved by the demise of the crown. --Blackstone. [1913 Webster]
Large arrears of pay were due to the civil and military servants of the crown. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
4. Imperial or regal power or dominion; sovereignty. [1913 Webster]
There is a power behind the crown greater than the crown itself. --Junius. [1913 Webster]
5. Anything which imparts beauty, splendor, honor, dignity, or finish. [1913 Webster]
The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness. --Prov. xvi. 31. [1913 Webster]
A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband. --Prov. xvi. 4. [1913 Webster]
6. Highest state; acme; consummation; perfection. [1913 Webster]
Mutual love, the crown of all our bliss. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
7. The topmost part of anything; the summit. [1913 Webster]
The steepy crown of the bare mountains. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
8. The topmost part of the head (see Illust. of Bird.); that part of the head from which the hair descends toward the sides and back; also, the head or brain. [1913 Webster]
From toe to crown he'll fill our skin with pinches. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Twenty things which I set down: This done, I twenty more-had in my crown. --Bunyan. [1913 Webster]
9. The part of a hat above the brim. [1913 Webster]
10. (Anat.) The part of a tooth which projects above the gum; also, the top or grinding surface of a tooth. [1913 Webster]
11. (Arch.) The vertex or top of an arch; -- applied generally to about one third of the curve, but in a pointed arch to the apex only. [1913 Webster]
12. (Bot.) Same as Corona. [1913 Webster]
13. (Naut.) (a) That part of an anchor where the arms are joined to the shank. (b) The rounding, or rounded part, of the deck from a level line. (c) pl. The bights formed by the several turns of a cable. --Totten. [1913 Webster]
14. The upper range of facets in a rose diamond. [1913 Webster]
15. The dome of a furnace. [1913 Webster]
16. (Geom.) The area inclosed between two concentric perimeters. [1913 Webster]
17. (Eccl.) A round spot shaved clean on the top of the head, as a mark of the clerical state; the tonsure. [1913 Webster]
18. A size of writing paper. See under Paper. [1913 Webster]
19. A coin stamped with the image of a crown; hence,a denomination of money; as, the English crown, a silver coin of the value of five shillings sterling, or a little more than $1.20; the Danish or Norwegian crown, a money of account, etc., worth nearly twenty-seven cents. [1913 Webster]
20. An ornaments or decoration representing a crown; as, the paper is stamped with a crown. [1913 Webster]
Crown of aberration (Astron.), a spurious circle around the true circle of the sun.
Crown antler (Zool.), the topmost branch or tine of an antler; also, an antler having a cuplike top, with tines springing from the rim.
Crown bar, one of the bars which support the crown sheet of steam-boiler furnace.
Crown glass. See under Glass.
Crown imperial. (Bot.) See in the Vocabulary.
Crown jewels, the jewels appertaining to the sovereign while wearing the crown. [Eng.] "She pawned and set to sale the crown jewels." --Milton.
Crown land, land belonging to the crown, that is, to the sovereign.
Crown law, the law which governs criminal prosecutions. [Eng.]
Crown lawyer, one employed by the crown, as in criminal cases. [Eng.]
Crown octavo. See under Paper.
Crown office. See in the Vocabulary.
Crown paper. See under Paper.
Crown piece. See in the Vocabulary.
Crown Prince, the heir apparent to a crown or throne.
Crown saw. See in the Vocabulary.
Crown scab (Far.), a cancerous sore formed round the corners of a horse's hoof.
Crown sheet, the flat plate which forms the top of the furnace or fire box of an internally fired steam boiler.
Crown shell. (Zool.) See Acorn-shell.
Crown side. See Crown office.
Crown tax (Eccl. Hist.), a golden crown, or its value, which was required annually from the Jews by the king of Syria, in the time of the Maccabees. --1 Macc. x. 20.
Crown wheel. See in the Vocabulary.
Crown work. See in the Vocabulary.
Pleas of the crown (Engl. law), criminal actions. [1913 Webster]