King James Bible Dictionary

PLEA, noun [Latin lis, litis.]

1. In law, that which is alleged by a party in support of his demand; but in a more limited and technical sense, the answer of the defendant to the plaintiff's declaration and demand. That which the plaintiff alleges in his declaration is answered and repelled or justified by the defendant's plea Pleas are dilatory, or pleas to the action. Dilatory pleas, are to the jurisdiction of the court, to the disability of the plaintiff, or in abatement. Pleas to the action are an answer to the merits of the complaint, which confesses or denies it. Pleas that deny the plaintiff's complaint or demand, are the general issue, which denies the whole declaration; or special pleas in bar, which state something which precludes the plaintiff's right of recovery.

2. A cause in court; a lawsuit, or a criminal process; as the pleas of the crown; the court of common pleas.

The supreme judicial court shall have cognizance of pleas real, personal and mixed.

3. That which is alleged in defense or justification; an excuse; an apology; as the tyrant's plea

When such occasions are,

No plea must serve; 'tis cruelty to spare.

4. Urgent prayer or entreaty.

PLEACH, verb transitive [Latin plico.] To bend; to interweave. [Not in use.]

PLEAD, verb intransitive [See Plea.] In a general sense, to argue in support of a claim, or in defense against the claim of another.

1. In law, to present an answer to the declaration of a plaintiff; to deny the plaintiff's declaration and demand, or to allege facts which show that he ought not to recover in the suit. The plaintiff declares or alleges; the defendant pleads to his declaration. The king or the state prosecutes an offender, and the offender pleads not guilty, or confesses the charge.

2. To urge reasons for or against; to attempt to persuade one by argument or supplication; as, to plead for the life of a criminal; to plead in his favor; to plead with a judge or with a father.

O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbor! Job 16:21.

3. To supplicate with earnestness.

4. To urge; to press by operating on the passions.

Since you can love, and yet your error see,

The same resistless power may plead for me.

PLEAD, verb transitive To discuss, defend and attempt to maintain by arguments or reasons offered to the tribunal or person who has the power of determining; as, to plead a cause before a court or jury. In this sense, argue is more generally used by lawyers.

1. To allege or adduce in proof, support or vindication. The law of nations may be pleaded in favor of the rights of embassadors.

2. To offer in excuse.

I will neither plead my age nor sickness in excuse of faults.

3. To allege and offer in a legal plea or defense, or for repelling a demand in law; as, to plead usury; to plead a statute of limitations.

4. In Scripture, to plead the cause of the righteous, as God, is to avenge or vindicate them against enemies, or to redress their grievances. Isaiah 51:22.

PLE'ADABLE, adjective That may be pleaded; that may be alleged in proof, defense or vindication; as a right or privilege pleadable at law.

PLE'ADED, participle passive Offered or urged in defense; alleged in proof or support.

PLE'ADER, noun One who argues in a court of justice.

1. One that forms pleas or pleadings; as a special pleader

2. One that offers reasons for or against; one that attempts to maintain by arguments.

So fair a pleader any cause may gain.

General references
Deuteronomy 17:8

Of the guilty
Joshua 7:19-21

Jesus declined to plead
Matthew 26:62; Mark 15:2; Luke 23:3; John 18:33-34

Prisoners required to plead
Acts 7:1
Defense

PLE'ADING, participle present tense Offering in defense; supporting by arguments or reasons; supplicating.

PLE'ADING, noun The art of supporting by arguments, or of reasoning to persuade.

PLE'ADINGS, noun In law, the mutual altercations between the plaintiff and defendant, or written statements of the parties in support of their claims, comprehending the declaration, count or narration of the plaintiff, the plea of the defendant in reply, the replication of the plaintiff to the defendant's plea, the defendant's rejoinder, the plaintiff's sur-rejoinder, the defendant's rebutter, the plaintiff's sur-rebutter, etc. till the question is brought to issue, that is, to rest on a single point.

PLEASANCE, noun plez'ance. [See Please.] Gayety; pleasantry; merriment.

PLEASANT, adjective plez'ant.

1. Pleasing; agreeable; grateful to the mind or to the senses; as a pleasant ride; a pleasant voyage; a pleasant view. Light is pleasant to the eye; an orange is pleasant to the taste; harmony is pleasant to the ear; a rose is pleasant to the smell.

How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalms 133:1.

2. Cheerful; enlivening; as pleasant society or company.

3. Gay; lively; humorous; sportive; as a pleasant companion.

4. Trifling; adapted rather to mirth than use.

5. Giving pleasure; gratifying.

This word expresses less than delightful, to the mind, and delicious, to the taste.

PLEASANTLY, adverb plez'antly. In such a manner as to please or gratify.

1. Gayly; merrily; in good humor.

2. Lightly; ludicrously.

PLEASANTNESS, noun plez'antness. State of being pleasant or agreeable; as the pleasantness of a situation.

1. Cheerfulness; gayety; merriment; as the pleasantness of youth.

PLEASANTRY, noun plez'antry. Gayety; merriment.

The harshness of reasoning is not a little softened and smoothed by the infusions of mirth and pleasantry

1. Sprightly saying; lively talk; effusion of humor.

The grave abound in pleasantries, the dull in repartees and points of wit.

PLEASE, verb transitive s as z. [Latin placere, placeo.]

1. To excite agreeable sensations or emotions in; to gratify; as, to please the taste; to please the mind.

Their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem, Hamor's son. Genesis 34:18.

Leave such to trifle with more grace than ease,

Whom folly pleases, and whose follies please

2. To satisfy; to content.

What next I bring shall please

Thy wish exactly to thy heart's desire.

3. To prefer; to have satisfaction in; to like; to choose.

Many of our most skilful painters were pleased or recommend this author to me.

To be pleased in or with, to approve; to have complacency in. Matthew 3:17.

To please God, is to love his character and law and perform his will, so as to become the object of his approbation.

They that are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:8.

PLEASE, verb intransitive s as z. To like; to choose; to prefer.

Spirits, freed from mortal laws, with ease

Assume what sexes and what shapes they please

1. To condescend; to comply; to be pleased; a word of ceremony.

PLEASE you, lords,

In sight of both our battles we may meet.

The first words that I learnt were, to express my desire that he would please to give me my liberty.

PLEASE expresses less gratification than delight.

PLE'ASED, participle passive Gratified; affected with agreeable sensations or emotions.

PLE'ASEMAN, noun An officious person who courts favor servilely; a pickthank.

PLE'ASER, noun One that pleases or gratifies; one that courts favor by humoring or flattering compliances or a show of obedience; as men-pleasers. Ephesians 6:1. Colossians 3:1.

PLE'ASING, participle present tense Gratifying; exciting agreeable sensations or emotions in.

PLE'ASING, adjective Giving pleasure or satisfaction; agreeable to the senses or to the mind; as a pleasing prospect; a pleasing reflection; pleasing manners.

1. Gaining approbation. 1 John 3:1.

PLE'ASING, noun The act of gratifying.

PLE'ASINGLY, adverb In such a manner as to give pleasure.

PLE'ASINGNESS, noun The quality of giving pleasure.

PLEASURABLE, adjective plezh'urable. [from pleasure.] Pleasing; giving pleasure; affording gratification.

Planting of orchards is very profitable as well as pleasurable

PLEAS'URABLENESS, noun The quality of giving pleasure.

PLEAS'URABLY, adverb With pleasure; with gratification of the senses or the mind.

Worldly
Job 20:12-16; Job 21:12-13; Proverbs 9:17; Proverbs 15:21; Proverbs 21:17; Ecclesiastes 1:17; Ecclesiastes 2:1-13; Isaiah 5:11-12; Isaiah 22:12-13; Isaiah 47:8-9; Amos 6:1; Luke 8:14; Romans 1:32; 2 Thessalonians 2:12; 1 Timothy 5:6; 2 Timothy 3:4; Titus 3:3; Hebrews 11:25-26; 2 Peter 2:13
Happiness; Joy; Worldliness

PLEASURE, noun plezh'ur.

1. The gratification of the senses or of the mind; agreeable sensations or emotions; the excitement, relish or happiness produced by enjoyment or the expectation of good; opposed to pain. We receive pleasure from the indulgence of appetite; from the view of a beautiful landscape; from the harmony of sounds; from agreeable society; from the expectation of seeing an absent friend; from the prospect of gain or success of any kind. pleasure bodily and mental, carnal and spiritual, constitutes the whole of positive happiness, as pain constitutes the whole of misery.

PLEASURE is properly positive excitement of the passions or the mind; but we give the name also to the absence of excitement, when that excitement is painful; as when we cease to labor, or repose after fatigue, or when the mind is tranquilized after anxiety or agitation.

PLEASURE is susceptible of increase to any degree; but the word when unqualified, expresses less excitement or happiness than delight or joy.

2. Sensual or sexual gratification.

3. Approbation.

The Lord taketh pleasure in his people. Psalms 147:10.

and 149.

4. What the will dictates or prefers; will; choice; purpose; intention; command; as, use your pleasure

Cyrus, he is my shepherd and shall perform all my pleasure Isaiah 44:28.

My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure

Isa 46.

5. A favor; that which pleases.

Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure answered Paul. Acts 25:9.

6. Arbitrary will or choice. He can vary his scheme at pleasure

PLEAS'URE, verb transitive plezh'ur. To give or afford pleasure to; to please; to gratify. [A word authorized by some good writers, but superfluous and not much used.]

PLEAS'URE-BOAT, noun A boat appropriated to sailing for amusement.

PLEAS'URE-CARRIAGE, noun A carriage for pleasure.

PLEAS'UREFUL, adjective Pleasant; agreeable. [Little used.]

PLEAS'URE-GROUND, noun Ground laid out in an ornamental manner and appropriated to pleasure or amusement.

PLEAS'URIST, noun A person devoted to worldly pleasure. [Little used.]