excuse

See also: Appendix:MakeDoTakeHave and excusé

EnglishEdit

 
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EtymologyEdit

From Middle English excusen, borrowed from Old French escuser, 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.

PronunciationEdit

Verb
  • (UK) enPR: ĭkskyo͞oz', IPA(key): /ɪkˈskjuːz/, /ɛksˈkjuːz/
  • (US) enPR: ĭkskyo͞oz', IPA(key): /ɪksˈkjuz/, /ɛksˈkjuz/
  • Audio (US)
    		(file)
  • Rhymes: -uːz
Noun

VerbEdit

excuse (third-person singular simple present excuses, present participle excusing, simple past and past participle excused)

  1. (transitive) To forgive; to pardon.
    I excused him his transgressions.
    • c. 1608–1609, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act IV, scene vii]:
      I must excuse what cannot be amended.
    • c. 1685, John Sharp, A Discourse of Conscience
      If they say that he did sin in doing this, then they must at the same time acknowledge that a man's persuasion that a thing is a duty will not excuse him from guilt in practising it
  2. (transitive) To allow to leave, or release from any obligation.
    May I be excused from the table?
    I excused myself from the proceedings to think over what I'd heard.
  3. (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!
  4. To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or indulgence for.

SynonymsEdit

Derived termsEdit

TranslationsEdit

NounEdit

excuse (countable and uncountable, plural excuses)

  1. (countable, uncountable) Explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment; a plea offered in extenuation of a fault.
    • 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!
  2. (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.
  3. (with preceding negative adjective, especially sorry, poor or lame) An example of something that is substandard or of inferior quality.
    • 2008, Christos Tsiolkas, The Slap, London: Atlantic Books, page 131:
      What a fucking lame excuse for a man.
    That thing is a poor excuse for a gingerbread man. Hasn't anyone taught you how to bake?
    He's a sorry excuse for a doctor.

Usage notesEdit

  • We often say to make an excuse.

SynonymsEdit

  • (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment): pretext release, clear, justify, forgive, tolerate, overlook, exempt, pardon, discharge, pretext, bear with, acquit, exonerate, absolve, pretense, vindicate.

TranslationsEdit

Further readingEdit

FrenchEdit

EtymologyEdit

From excuser.

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

excuse f (plural excuses)

  1. excuse

VerbEdit

excuse

  1. first-person singular present indicative of excuser
  2. third-person singular present indicative of excuser
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of excuser
  4. third-person singular present subjunctive of excuser
  5. second-person singular imperative of excuser

Further readingEdit

LatinEdit

ParticipleEdit

excūse

  1. vocative masculine singular of excūsus

SpanishEdit

VerbEdit

excuse

  1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of excusar.
  2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of excusar.
  3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of excusar.
  4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of excusar.
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