pleading

[ plee-ding ]
/ ˈpli dɪŋ /

noun

the act of a person who pleads.
Law.
  1. the advocating of a cause in a court of law.
  2. the art or science of setting forth or drawing pleas in legal causes.
  3. a formal statement, usually written, setting forth the cause of action or defense of a case.
  4. pleadings, the successive statements delivered alternately by plaintiff and defendant until the issue is joined.

Origin of pleading

1250–1300; Middle English pledynge (gerund). See plead, -ing1

OTHER WORDS FROM pleading

Definition for pleading (2 of 2)

plead
[ pleed ]
/ plid /

verb (used without object), plead·ed or pled, plead·ing.

to appeal or entreat earnestly: to plead for time.
to use arguments or persuasions, as with a person, for or against something: She pleaded with him not to take the job.
to afford an argument or appeal: His youth pleads for him.
Law.
  1. to make any allegation or plea in an action at law.
  2. to put forward an answer on the part of a defendant to a legal declaration or charge.
  3. to address a court as an advocate.
  4. Obsolete. to prosecute a suit or action at law.

verb (used with object), plead·ed or pled, plead·ing.

to allege or urge in defense, justification, or excuse: to plead ignorance.
Law.
  1. to maintain (a cause) by argument before a court.
  2. to allege or set forth (something) formally in an action at law.
  3. to allege or cite in legal defense: to plead a statute of limitations.

Origin of plead

1200–50; Middle English plaiden < Old French plaid(i)er to go to law, plead < early Medieval Latin placitāre to litigate, derivative of Latin placitum opinion. See plea

OTHER WORDS FROM plead

re·plead, verb, re·plead·ed, re·plead·ing. un·plead·ed, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for pleading

British Dictionary definitions for pleading (1 of 2)

pleading
/ (ˈpliːdɪŋ) /

noun law

the act of presenting a case in court, as by a lawyer on behalf of his client
the art or science of preparing the formal written statements of the parties to a legal action See also pleadings

British Dictionary definitions for pleading (2 of 2)

plead
/ (pliːd) /

verb pleads, pleading, pleaded, plead (plɛd) or esp US and Scot pled (plɛd)

(when intr, often foll by with) to appeal earnestly or humbly (to)
(tr; may take a clause as object) to give as an excuse; offer in justification or extenuation to plead ignorance; he pleaded that he was insane
(intr often foll by for) to provide an argument or appeal (for) her beauty pleads for her
law to declare oneself to be (guilty or not guilty) in answer to the charge
law to advocate (a case) in a court of law
(intr) law
  1. to file pleadings
  2. to address a court as an advocate

Derived forms of plead

pleadable, adjective pleader, noun

Word Origin for plead

C13: from Old French plaidier, from Medieval Latin placitāre to have a lawsuit, from Latin placēre to please; see plea