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Excuse
Definitions
- 1 An explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment; a plea offered in extenuation of a fault. countable, uncountable
"Tell me why you were late – and I don't want to hear any excuses!"
- 2 a poor example wordnet
- 3 A defense to a criminal or civil charge wherein the accused party admits to doing acts for which legal consequences would normally be appropriate, but asserts that special circumstances relieve that party of culpability for having done those acts. countable, uncountable
- 4 a note explaining an absence wordnet
- 5 An example of something that is substandard or of inferior quality. countable, often, uncountable
"That thing is a poor excuse for a gingerbread man. Hasn't anyone taught you how to bake?"
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- 6 a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc. wordnet
- 1 To forgive; to pardon; to overlook. transitive
"I excused him his transgressions."
- 2 excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with wordnet
- 3 To allow to leave, or release from any obligation. transitive
"May I be excused from the table?"
- 4 serve as a reason or cause or justification of wordnet
- 5 To provide an excuse for; to justify. transitive
"You know he shouldn't have done it, so don't try to excuse his behavior!"
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- 6 grant exemption or release to wordnet
- 7 To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or indulgence for.
"Agayne / thynke ye that we excuſe oure ſelves? we ſpeake in Chriſt in the ſight of God. But we do all thyngꝭ dearly beloved for youre edifyinge."
- 8 ask for permission to be released from an engagement wordnet
- 9 defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning wordnet
- 10 accept an excuse for wordnet
Etymology
From Middle English excusen (verb) and excuse (noun), borrowed from Old French escuser (verb) and excuse (noun), from Latin excūsō, excūsāre (“to excuse, allege in excuse, literally, free from a charge”), from ex (“out”) + causa (“a charge”); see cause, accuse and recuse. Displaced native Old English lād (“an excuse”) and lādian (“to excuse”).
From Middle English excusen (verb) and excuse (noun), borrowed from Old French escuser (verb) and excuse (noun), from Latin excūsō, excūsāre (“to excuse, allege in excuse, literally, free from a charge”), from ex (“out”) + causa (“a charge”); see cause, accuse and recuse. Displaced native Old English lād (“an excuse”) and lādian (“to excuse”).
See also for "excuse"
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