One way to hold it: someone standing before a person who has the power to decide, putting their case into words — with feeling, with reasons, hoping the words will move the decision.
From the word’s history
English 'plead' comes through Old French 'plaidier' (to go to law, to argue a case) from Medieval Latin 'placitum', a court decree or lawsuit — literally 'that which has been agreed/decided'. The word was born inside the courtroom: to plead was to put your case before the body that decides. The emotional 'beg' sense grew out of that courtroom picture, not the other way round.
plead 來自古法語 plaidier（打官司、為案子辯論），再往上是中世紀拉丁語 placitum（判決、訴訟）。也就是說，這個字是從法庭裡長出來的：原本就是「在裁決者面前把你的案子講出來」。今天最常見的「苦苦哀求」反而是後來的延伸——把法庭上那個「向有權者陳情」的姿態，搬到日常的人與人之間。理解這個順序，就不會覺得「懇求」和「答辯」是兩個不相干的字了。
Wiktionary, 'plead' (from Middle English pleden < Old French plaidier < Medieval Latin placitum); consistent with Online Etymology Dictionary
登入就可以看每一支怎麼連回核心畫面。
原始詞典資料4 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，摘錄並精簡格式，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
pleadverb/pliːd/
- 1
To present (an argument or a plea), especially in a legal case.
- The defendant has decided to plead not guilty.
- O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!
- 2
To beg, beseech, or implore, especially emotionally.
- He pleaded with me not to leave the house.
- He was pleading for mercy.
- 3
To offer by way of excuse.
- Not wishing to attend the banquet, I pleaded illness.
- It is no defence to plead that you were only obeying orders.
- 4
To discuss by arguments.
摘錄自 英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary，已精簡格式；依 CC BY-SA 4.0 授權使用，改動後的內容同樣以此授權提供。