plea Copy link Outline I. In law1. exceptio (legal term, denoting the various exceptions or grounds of defence for the defendant, which were stated in the praetor's edict)2. rătio (reason, groundII. ExcuseIII. Pretext • plea: I. In law: 1. exceptio (legal term, denoting the various exceptions or grounds of defence for the defendant, which were stated in the praetor's edict): p.s decisive or dilatory, ex. peremptoriae aut dilatoriae, Gai. 4, 120: to enter a p. against any one, ex. objicere alicui, ib. 123: a p. which at first sight appears well-founded, ex. quae prima facie justa videtur, ib. § 126: to allow a p., ex. dare, Cic. de Or. 1, 37, 168 v. ll. cc. 2. rătio (reason, ground: i. e. the justification of one's conduct in a criminal case): Cic. Inv. 1, 13, 18 (where the plea instanced is that of justifiable homicide): Quint. II. Excuse: excūsātio: v. excuse. Phr.: to be excused on the p. of health, morbi causâ excusari, Cic. Att. 12, 13: I stated my p. of excuse, dixi cur excusatus abirem, Hor. Ep. 1, 9, 7. III. Pretext: q. v.