plea

1 an earnest request the captive made an impassioned plea for his life to be spared Synonyms adjuration, appeal, conjuration, cry, desire, entreaty, petition, pleading, prayer, solicitation, suit, suppliance, supplication Related Words application, requisition; call, claim, demand, insistence

2 an explanation that frees one from fault or blame my only plea is that I've been overworked lately Synonyms alibi, apology, defense, justification, excuse, reasonRelated Words color, guise, pretense (or pretence), pretext, rationale, rationalization, vindication, whitewash; cop-out, out; acknowledgment (or acknowledgement), atonement, confession; extenuation, palliation