# pleading

Pronunciation: 

## Verb

1. Present participle and gerund of plead. — present participle and gerund of plead
   - Simple: Present participle and gerund of plead. Use this -ing form when the action is happening now or named as a thing.
   - _He stood at the gate, pleading for a second chance._
   - _Their endless pleading wore the landlord down at last._

## Noun

2. The act of making an earnest plea or emotional request.
   - Simple: The act of asking for something in a strong, emotional way.
   - _Her quiet pleading carried more weight than any angry demand._
   - _No amount of pleading could change the referee's decision._
4. A document filed in a lawsuit, especially one that begins litigation or responds to its initiation.
   - Simple: A written paper filed in a court case, often to start a lawsuit or to answer one.
   - _The plaintiff's pleading set out three separate causes of action._
   - _Opposing counsel moved to strike the pleading as legally insufficient._

## Adjective

3. Expressing an earnest, emotional appeal for something.
   - Simple: Asking for something in a sad or eager way.
   - _The puppy fixed her with a pleading gaze until she shared her sandwich._
   - _He held out his hands in a pleading gesture, begging them to stay._

## Origin

Formed within English from the verb "plead" combined with the suffix "-ing".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/pleading (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).