plead
/plēd/
verb
past tense: pleaded; past participle: pleaded
1.make an emotional appeal.
"“Don't go,” she pleaded"
Similar: beg, entreat, beseech,
2.present and argue for (a position), especially in court or in another public context.
"using cheap melodrama to plead the case for three prisoners"
Similar:claim, use as an excuse, assert, allege, arguestate