early 13c., "lawsuit," from Anglo-French plai (late 12c.), Old French plait "lawsuit, decision, decree" (9c.), from Medieval Latin placitum "lawsuit," in classical Latin, "opinion, decree," literally "that which pleases, thing which is agreed upon," properly neuter past participle of placere (see please). Sense development seems to be from "something pleasant," to "something that pleases both sides," to "something that has been decided." Meaning "a pleading, an agreement in a suit" is attested from late 14c. Plea-bargaining is first attested 1963. Common pleas (early 13c.) originally were legal proceedings over which the Crown did not claim exclusive jurisdiction (as distinct from pleas of the Crown); later "actions brought by one subject against another."
实用例句
1. Her plea of guilty to manslaughter through provocation was rejected.
她因受到挑衅而过失杀人的有罪答辩被驳回。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Phillips murdered his wife, but got off on a plea of insanity.
菲利普斯谋杀了他的妻子，但以精神错乱为由逃脱了惩罚。
来自柯林斯例句
3. A guilty plea cuts out the need for a long trial.
承认有罪就不需要长时间的审判了。
来自柯林斯例句
4. The judge questioned him about his guilty plea.
法官就他的认罪答辩进行审问。
来自柯林斯例句
5. More and more criminals will agree to plea-bargain.
