excuse
See also: excusé
Contents
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Middle English excusen, from Old French escuser, from Latin excūsō (“to excuse, allege in excuse, literally, free from a charge”), from ex (“out”) + causa (“a charge”); see cause and accuse.
PronunciationEdit
Verb
- (UK) enPR: ĭkskyo͞oz', IPA(key): /ɪkˈskjuːz/, /ɛksˈkjuːz/
- (US) enPR: ĭkskyo͞oz', IPA(key): /ɪksˈkjuz/
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Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -uːz
Noun
- (UK) enPR: ĭkskyo͞os', IPA(key): /ɪkˈskjuːs/, /ɛksˈkjuːs/
- (US) enPR: ĭkskyo͞os', IPA(key): /ɪksˈkjus/
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Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -uːs
VerbEdit
excuse (third-person singular simple present excuses, present participle excusing, simple past and past participle excused)
- (transitive) To forgive; to pardon.
- I excused him his transgressions.
- Shakespeare
- I must excuse what cannot be amended.
- Archbishop Sharp
- A man's persuasion that a thing is duty, will not excuse him from guilt in practising it, if really and indeed it be against God's law.
- (transitive) To allow to leave.
- May I be excused from the table?
- I excused myself from the proceedings to think over what I'd heard.
- (transitive) To provide an excuse for; to explain, with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement.
- You know he shouldn't have done it, so don't try to excuse his behavior!
- To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or indulgence for.
- Bible, 2. Corinthians xii. 19
- Think ye that we excuse ourselves to you?
- Bible, 2. Corinthians xii. 19
SynonymsEdit
- (to release from guilt, shame, or punishment): forgive, let off the hook, let pass, pardon, unguilt
Derived termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
forgive, pardon
allow to leave
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explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement
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NounEdit
excuse (countable and uncountable, plural excuses)
- (countable, uncountable) Explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment.
- 1604-11, Bible (King James Version), Luke: XIV:18
- And they all with one consent began to make excuse.
- Tell me why you were late – and I don't want to hear any excuses!
- 1604-11, Bible (King James Version), Luke: XIV:18
- (law) 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.
- (with negative adjective prepositioned, especially sorry or poor) An example.
- That thing is a poor excuse for a gingerbread man. Hasn't anyone taught you how to bake?
- He's a sorry excuse of a doctor.
Usage notesEdit
- We often say to make an excuse.
See also: Appendix:MakeDoTakeHave
SynonymsEdit
- (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment): pretext
TranslationsEdit
explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement
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Further readingEdit
- excuse in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- excuse in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
FrenchEdit
EtymologyEdit
From excuser.
PronunciationEdit
NounEdit
excuse f (plural excuses)
VerbEdit
excuse
- first-person singular present indicative of excuser
- third-person singular present indicative of excuser
- first-person singular present subjunctive of excuser
- third-person singular present subjunctive of excuser
- second-person singular imperative of excuser
Further readingEdit
- “excuse” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
LatinEdit
SpanishEdit
VerbEdit
excuse