plea-bargain

[ plee-bahr-gin ]

verb (used without object)

1. to engage in plea bargaining.

verb (used with object)

1. to deal with or achieve by plea bargaining:

   to plea-bargain a reduced sentence.

noun

1. the agreement arrived at as a result of plea bargaining.

plea bargain

1. An agreement that permits a defendant to plead guilty to a lesser charge instead of pleading not guilty to a more serious one. Plea bargaining is usually undertaken by a prosecutor to obtain important information from a defendant or to avoid a long and costly trial.

Other Words From

• plea-bargain·er noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of plea-bargain¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

But a month before his trial, McClain agreed to a plea bargain, with a hearing set for June 17.

From Los Angeles Times

Several of Jiang’s relatives and friends spoke in court before the judge handed down the sentence, which Pan agreed to as part of his plea bargain.

From Seattle Times

Mizuhara faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, although his cooperation in the investigation could significantly lighten a potential sentence in the event of a plea bargain.

From Los Angeles Times

He underscored that the agreement was not a “plea bargain” and did not represent any admission of wrongdoing on Mr. Paxton’s part.

From New York Times

There's been no discussion in court as yet of Mr Rocha's sentence or whether he accepted a plea bargain in exchange for his co-operation.

From BBC

Related Words

• allege
• argue
• assert
• cite
• declare
• maintain
• respond