plea
/pliː/noun
1
- a request made in an urgent and emotional manner恳求, 请求：
he made a dramatic plea for disarmament.
他强烈恳求裁军。
1.1
- a claim that a circumstance means that one should not be blamed for or should not be forced to do something借口, 托辞：
her plea of a headache was not entirely false.
她头疼这个借口不完全是假的。
2
- Law a formal statement by or on behalf of a defendant or prisoner, stating guilt or innocence in response to a charge, offering an allegation of fact, or claiming that a point of law should apply【律】供词; 陈述; 引述：
he changed his plea to not guilty.
他翻供称自己无罪。
短语
plea of tender
- Law a plea that the defendant has always been ready to satisfy the plaintiff's claim and now brings the sum into court【律】提存抗辩（指被告一直准备偿还原告的索赔并把赔款带到法庭上的抗辩）。
词源
Middle English （in the sense 'lawsuit'）： from Old French plait, plaid 'agreement， discussion'， from Latin placitum 'a decree'， neuter past participle of placere 'to please'.