Adjective

(en adjective)

That pleads.

* 1955 , , Ann Lindsay, Earth , p. 251:

Franchise, relaxed and soothed by the vagueness of a surrender set so far in the future, simply took hold of his two hands to make him behave himself and looked at him with her pretty pleading eyes — the eyes of a sensitive woman who didn't want to risk having a child by anyone but her husband.

* 1999 , (Simone de Beauvoir), The Mandarins , p. 599:

With a pleading look, she raised her eyes to him.

* 1993 , (Charles Haddon Spurgeon), Psalms , p. 225:

Have but a pleading heart and God will have a plenteous hand.

*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-22, volume=407, issue=8841, page=70, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= Engineers of a different kind , passage=Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers. Piling debt onto companies’ balance-sheets is only a small part of what leveraged buy-outs are about, they insist. Improving the workings of the businesses they take over is just as core to their calling, if not more so. Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster.}}

Adjective

(en adjective)

Having the character of apology; regretfully excusing

His tone was apologetic as he explained what had happened.

* 1890 , :

Very different was he, however, from the brusque and masterful professor of common sense who had taken over the case so confidently at Upper Norwood. His expression was downcast, and his bearing meek and even apologetic .

(dated) Defending by words or arguments; said or written in defense.