plead

To plead is more than just asking. It means to beg in a serious, heartfelt way, often when you feel worried, desperate, or in great need. You might plead with your parents to let you stay up late, or plead with a friend not to leave. It can also be used in legal settings. A person may plead guilty or not guilty in court, and a lawyer may plead a case for a client. The meaning depends on the situation, but it usually carries a sense of urgency and strong feeling.

To plead means to make an earnest, serious, or desperate request. It is stronger than simply asking and often suggests urgency, deep feeling, or need. A person usually pleads when they want someone to listen, show mercy, or change a decision. For example, "She pleaded with him not to go" shows that she begged him with strong emotion and real concern.

The word is also common in legal English. In court, someone can plead guilty or not guilty, which means they formally state whether they admit a crime or deny it. Lawyers may also plead a case, meaning they present arguments for their client. Because of this legal use, the word can sound formal in some contexts.

Outside the courtroom, plead is often used for emotional appeals. Someone may plead for help, plead for forgiveness, or plead for more time. There are also fixed phrases such as plead ignorance, which means to say that you do not know something, sometimes to avoid blame or responsibility.

So, whether someone is asking for mercy, making an emotional appeal, or speaking formally in court, to plead is to make a strong and serious appeal in the hope of being heard.