"pleads" in the verb sense
1. plead
appeal or request earnestly
"I pleaded with him to stop"
2. plead
offer as an excuse or plea
"She was pleading insanity"
3. plead
enter a plea, as in courts of law
"She pleaded not guilty"
4. plead
make an allegation in an action or other legal proceeding, especially answer the previous pleading of the other party by denying facts therein stated or by alleging new facts
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
Princeton University "About WordNet®."
WordNet®. Princeton University. 2010.
View WordNet® License