---
title: plea — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «plea» in the school dictionary: A strong, emotional request for something. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

<!-- md -->
[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/plea/)

<!-- crumbs -->
[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/) / [school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/) / [P](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/) / plea

# plea

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** person, he, charity, eyes, family, police · **What happens:** say, accuse, give, be, make, enter · **To what, where:** court, reason, plea, silent plea, usual procedure, That · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«plea» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [plea in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/plea.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A strong, emotional request for something.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plea:m1:1
# text = A strong, emotional request for something.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
2	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	emotional	emotional	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	request	request	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"a plea for help".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plea:m1e:1
# text = "a plea for help".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	plea	plea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	help	help	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: law — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
What a person says in court when accused of a crime.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plea:m2:1
# text = What a person says in court when accused of a crime.
1	What	what	DET	WDT	PronType=Int	3	det	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	person	person	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	says	say	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	court	court	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
7	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	8	advmod	_	_
8	accused	accuse	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	advcl	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	crime	crime	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **say** *speech: assert* | present | what person |  |  | court |  |  | vn pronounce-29.3.1 «NP V NP PP.manner»: agent=Agent in court=Manner |
| 2 | **accuse** | participle | what person *not said here* |  |  |  |  | of a crime | vn suspect-81 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Agent of crime=Attribute |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"guilty" or "not guilty".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plea:m2e:1
# text = "guilty" or "not guilty".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	2	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	guilty	guilty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	2	punct	_	_
4	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
5	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	guilty	guilty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An excuse or reason given.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plea:m3:1
# text = An excuse or reason given.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	excuse	excuse	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
4	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	_
5	given	give	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | participle |  | reason *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn break\_down-45.8 «NP V»: agent=Patient |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"on the plea that he was ill".

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plea:m3e:1
# text = "on the plea that he was ill".
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	on	on	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	plea	plea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
6	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
8	ill	ill	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	acl:relcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	8	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** *in a quote* | past | he | the plea *not said here* |  |  |  | ill *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The charity made a plea for warm blankets.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plea:x1:1
# text = The charity made a plea for warm blankets.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	charity	charity	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	plea	plea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	warm	warm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	blankets	blanket	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the charity | a plea |  |  |  | for warm blankets | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP P.asset»: agent=Agent plea=Product for blanket=Asset |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The puppy's eyes were a silent plea for food.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plea:x2:1
# text = The puppy's eyes were a silent plea for food.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	puppy	puppy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	eyes	eye	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nsubj	_	_
5	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	silent	silent	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	plea	plea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	for	for	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the puppy's eyes | a silent plea |  |  |  | for food | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He entered a plea of not guilty.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plea:x3:1
# text = He entered a plea of not guilty.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	entered	enter	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	plea	plea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	7	advmod	_	_
7	guilty	guilty	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **enter** | past | He | a plea of guilty |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme plea=Destination |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The family made a plea for their lost cat to be found.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plea:x4:1
# text = The family made a plea for their lost cat to be found.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	made	make	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	plea	plea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	9	nmod:poss	_	_
8	lost	lose	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	amod	_	_
9	cat	cat	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
10	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
11	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	aux:pass	_	_
12	found	find	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	9	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **make** | past | the family | a plea |  |  |  | for their lost cat | vn build-26.1-1 «NP V NP PP.beneficiary»: agent=Agent plea=Product for cat=Beneficiary |
| 2 | **lose** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn succeed-74-3-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **find** | to-infinitive · passive | the family *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn declare-29.4-1-1 «NP V what S\_INF» |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her plea for more time was accepted.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plea:x5:1
# text = Her plea for more time was accepted.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	plea	plea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj:pass	_	_
3	for	for	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	5	amod	_	_
5	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux:pass	_	_
7	accepted	accept	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **accept** | past · passive |  | Her plea for more time |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The police issued a plea for witnesses.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plea:x6:1
# text = The police issued a plea for witnesses.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	police	police	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
3	issued	issue	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	plea	plea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	witnesses	witness	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **issue** | past | the police | a plea |  |  |  | for witnesses | vn fulfilling-13.4.1 «NP V NP PP.recipient»: agent=Agent plea=Theme for witness=Recipient |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That this was the usual procedure was so well known to Hook that in disregarding it he cannot be excused on the plea of ignorance.

<!-- fold The tree, 26 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:plea:x7:1
# text = That this was the usual procedure was so well known to Hook that in disregarding it he cannot be excused on the plea of ignorance.
1	That	that	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	10	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	this	this	PRON	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	6	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	usual	usual	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	procedure	procedure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	acl:relcl	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	10	aux:pass	_	_
8	so	so	ADV	RB	_	9	advmod	_	_
9	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	10	advmod	_	_
10	known	know	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
11	to	to	PART	TO	_	12	mark	_	_
12	Hook	hook	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	xcomp	_	_
13	that	that	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
14	in	in	SCONJ	IN	_	15	mark	_	_
15	disregarding	disregard	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	12	advcl	_	_
16	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	obj	_	_
17	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	_
18	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	21	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	21	advmod	_	_
20	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	21	aux:pass	_	_
21	excused	excuse	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	15	parataxis	_	_
22	on	on	ADP	IN	_	24	case	_	_
23	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	24	det	_	_
24	plea	plea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	21	obl	_	_
25	of	of	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
26	ignorance	ignorance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	24	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
27	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	10	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | this | the usual procedure |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **know** | past · passive |  | That |  |  |  | well *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **hook** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn coil-9.6-1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **disregard** | gerund |  | procedure |  |  |  |  | vn neglect-75.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent it=Theme |
| 5 | **not** **excuse** | can · passive |  | he |  | the plea of ignorance |  |  | vn judgment-33.1-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
- ← previous: [plaza](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/plaza/)
- next →: [plead](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/plead/)
- ↑ back to [P in school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/)