different between contend vs plead

English

Etymology

From Middle English contenden, borrowed from Old French contendre, from Latin contendere (“to stretch out, extend, strive after, contend”), from com- (“together”) + tendere (“to stretch”); see tend, and compare attend, extend, intend, subtend.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?n?t?nd/
• Rhymes: -?nd

Verb

contend (third-person singular simple present contends, present participle contending, simple past and past participle contended)

1. To strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.
   • 1611, King James Version, Deuteronomy ii. 9

     The Lord said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle.
2. To struggle or exert oneself to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.
   • 17th century, John Dryden, Epistle III to the Lady Castlemain

     You sit above, and see vain men below / Contend for what you only can bestow.

3. To strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.

   • these simple ideas are far from those innate principles which some contend for

   • 1667, Richard Allestree, The Causes of the Decay of Christian Piety

     many of those things he so fiercely contended about , were either falle or trivial

4. To believe (something is reasonable) and argue (for it); to advocate.

   In this paper the author contends that no useful results can be obtained if this method is used.

Synonyms

• (strive in opposition): fight, combat, vie, oppose
• (struggle): struggle, strive, emulate (rare)
• (strive in debate): contest, litigate, dispute, debate
• (believe and argue): assert, aver

Related terms

• contender
• contention
• contentious

Translations

Further reading

• contend in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• contend in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

From Middle English pleden, plaiden, from Old French plaider (“to plead, offer a plea”), from plait, from Medieval Latin placitum (“a decree, sentence, suit, plea, etc.", in Classical Latin, "an opinion, determination, prescription, order; literally, that which is pleasing, pleasure”), neuter of placitus, past participle of place? (“to please”). Cognate with Spanish pleitear (“to litigate, take to court”).

Pronunciation

Present tense, infinitive

• IPA^(key): /?pli?d/
• Rhymes: -i?d

Past tense

• IPA^(key): /?pli?d?d/
• IPA^(key): /pl?d/ (both pled and plead)

Verb

plead (third-person singular simple present pleads, present participle pleading, simple past and past participle (North America, England, legal) pleaded or (North America, Scotland) pled or (North America) plead)

1. (transitive, intransitive, copulative) To present (an argument or a plea), especially in a legal case.

   • O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

2. (intransitive) To beg, beseech, or implore.

3. (transitive) To offer by way of excuse.

   Not wishing to attend the banquet, I pleaded illness.

4. (transitive) To discuss by arguments.

Related terms

• plea
• pleasant
• please
• pleasurable
• pleasure

Translations

Further reading

• plead in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• plead in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• plead at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• padel, padle, paled, pedal