plead the Fifth

English

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

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Verb

plead the Fifth (third-person singular simple present pleads the Fifth, present participle pleading the Fifth, simple past and past participle pled the Fifth or pleaded the Fifth)

  1. (law, US) To invoke the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which protects witnesses from being forced to incriminate themselves.
  2. (by extension, informal, humorous) To refuse to answer a question, or refuse to speak especially when the response would be embarrassing or uncomfortable.
    Synonym: take the fifth
    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))

References

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