Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

plead the fifth

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.60 in modern English

Syllables: plead- the -fifth
IPA

28

Scrabble Score

13

Letters

3

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

Alternative letter-case form of plead the Fifth (both senses)

verb

To invoke the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects witnesses from being forced to incriminate themselves.

American usage

verb

To refuse to answer a question, or refuse to speak especially when the response would be embarrassing or uncomfortable.

Humorous; Informal

Example Sentences

"Yo ain't no city in the world like this // An' if you ask how I know, I gots ta plead the fifth (1998, Miami (Will Smith song))"

Usage

Inflected Forms

pleads the fifth (present, singular) pleading the fifth (participle, present) pled the fifth (participle, past) pled the fifth (past) pleaded the fifth (participle, past) pleaded the fifth (past)

Synonyms

take the fifth

Questions

What does plead the fifth mean?: Alternative letter-case form of plead the Fifth (both senses)

How to pronounce plead the fifth

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