plea-bargain
[ plee-bahr-gin ]
/ ˈpliˌbɑr gɪn /
verb (used without object)
to engage in plea bargaining.
verb (used with object)
to deal with or achieve by plea bargaining: to plea-bargain a reduced sentence.
noun
the agreement arrived at as a result of plea bargaining.
Origin of plea-bargain
First recorded in 1965–70
OTHER WORDS FROM plea-bargain
plea-bar·gain·er, nounWords nearby plea-bargain
plaza de toros,
plaza lasso,
plc,
plea,
plea bargain,
plea-bargain,
pleach,
plead,
pleadable,
pleader,
pleading
Cultural definitions for plea bargain
plea bargain
An agreement that permits a defendant to plead guilty to a lesser charge instead of pleading not guilty to a more serious one. Plea bargaining is usually undertaken by a prosecutor to obtain important information from a defendant or to avoid a long and costly trial.