excuse
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ex·cuse
(ĭk-skyo͞oz′)tr.v. ex·cused, ex·cus·ing, ex·cus·es
1.
a. To make allowance for; overlook or forgive: Please excuse the interruption.
b. To grant pardon to; forgive: We quickly excused the latecomer.
2.
a. To apologize for (oneself) for an act that could cause offense: She excused herself for being late.
b. To explain (a fault or offense) in the hope of being forgiven or understood; try to justify: He arrived late and excused his tardiness by blaming it on the traffic. See Synonyms at forgive.
3. To serve as justification for: Witty talk does not excuse bad manners.
4. To free, as from an obligation or duty; exempt: She was excused from jury duty because she knew the plaintiff.
5. To give permission to leave; release: The child ate quickly and asked to be excused.
n. (ĭk-skyo͞os′)
Idiom: 1. An explanation offered to justify or obtain forgiveness.
2. A reason or grounds for excusing: Ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law.
3. The act of excusing.
4. A note explaining an absence.
5. Informal An inferior example: a poor excuse for a poet; a sorry excuse for a car.
Excuse me
1. Used to acknowledge and ask forgiveness for an action that could cause offense.
2. Used to request that a statement be repeated.
[Middle English excusen, ultimately (partly via Old French excuser) from Latin excūsāre : ex-, ex- + causa, lawsuit; see cause.]
ex·cus′a·ble adj.
ex·cus′a·ble·ness n.
ex·cus′a·bly adv.
ex·cus′er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
excuse
vb (tr)
1. to pardon or forgive: he always excuses her unpunctuality.
2. to seek pardon or exemption for (a person, esp oneself): to excuse oneself for one's mistakes.
3. to make allowances for; judge leniently: to excuse someone's ignorance.
4. to serve as an apology or explanation for; vindicate or justify: her age excuses her behaviour.
5. to exempt from a task, obligation, etc: you are excused making breakfast.
6. to dismiss or allow to leave: he asked them to excuse him.
7. to seek permission for (someone, esp oneself) to leave: he excused himself and left.
8. be excused euphemistic to go to the lavatory
9. excuse me! an expression used to catch someone's attention or to apologize for an interruption, disagreement, or social indiscretion
n
10. an explanation offered in defence of some fault or offensive behaviour or as a reason for not fulfilling an obligation, etc: he gave no excuse for his rudeness.
11. informal an inferior example of something specified; makeshift; substitute: she is a poor excuse for a hostess.
12. the act of excusing
[C13: from Latin excusāre, from ex-1 + -cūsare, from causa cause, accusation]
exˈcusable adj
exˈcusableness n
exˈcusably adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ex•cuse
(v. ɪkˈskyuz; n. -ˈskyus)v. -cused, -cus•ing,
n. v.t.
1. to regard or judge with indulgence; pardon or forgive; overlook (a fault, error, etc.).
2. to offer an apology for; seek to remove the blame of: He excused his absence by saying that he was ill.
3. to serve as an apology or justification for; justify: Ignorance of the law excuses no one.
4. to release from an obligation or duty: to be excused from jury duty.
5. to seek or obtain exemption or release for (oneself): to excuse oneself from a meeting.
6. to refrain from exacting; remit; dispense with: to excuse a debt.
7. to allow (someone) to leave: If you'll excuse me, I have to make a telephone call.
n. 8. an explanation offered as a reason for being excused; a plea offered in extenuation of a fault or for release from an obligation, promise, etc.
9. a ground or reason for excusing or being excused: Ignorance is no excuse.
10. the act of excusing someone or something.
11. a pretext or subterfuge.
12. an inferior or inadequate specimen of something specified: His latest effort is a poor excuse for a poem.
Idioms: Excuse me, (used as a polite expression in requesting permission to pass or when interrupting or disagreeing with someone).
[1175–1225; Middle English escusen < Old French escuser < Latin excūsāre=ex- ex-1 + -cūsāre, derivative of causa cause]
ex•cus′a•ble, adj.
ex•cus′a•bly, adv.
ex•cus′er, n.
syn: excuse, forgive, pardon imply being lenient or giving up the wish to punish. excuse means to overlook some (usu.) slight offense, because of circumstance, realization that it was unintentional, or the like: to excuse rudeness. forgive is applied to excusing more serious offenses; the person wronged not only overlooks the offense but harbors no ill feeling against the offender: to forgive and forget. pardon often applies to an act of leniency or mercy by an official or superior; it usu. involves a serious offense or crime: The governor was asked to pardon the condemned criminal.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
excuse
Excuse can be a noun or a verb. When it is a noun, it is pronounced /ɪk'skjuːs/. When it is a verb, it is pronounced /ɪk'skjuːz/.
1. used as a noun
An excuse is a reason that you give in order to explain why something has been done, has not been done, or will not be done.
They are trying to find excuses for their failures.
There is no excuse for this happening in a new building.
You say that someone makes an excuse.
I made an excuse and left the meeting early.
You don't have to make any excuses to me.
Be Careful!
Don't say that someone 'says an excuse'.
2. used as a verb
If someone is excused from doing something, they are officially allowed not to do it.
She is usually excused from her duties during the school holidays.
You can apply to be excused payment if your earnings are low.
In conversation, if you say you must excuse yourself or if you ask someone to excuse you, you are saying politely that you must leave.
Now I must excuse myself.
You'll have to excuse me; I ought to be saying goodnight.
If you excuse someone for something wrong they have done, you decide not to criticize them or be angry with them.
Such delays cannot be excused.
Please excuse my bad handwriting.
3. 'forgive'
Forgive is used in a similar way. However, when you say that you forgive someone, you usually mean that you have already been angry with them or argued with them. You cannot use 'excuse' in this way.
I forgave him everything.
4. 'excuse me'
People often say Excuse me as a way of politely apologizing for something they are going to do. For example, you can say Excuse me when you are interrupting someone, when you want to get their attention, or when you want to get past them.
Excuse me, but are you Mr Hess?
5. 'apologize'
However, when people say they are sorry for something they have done, don't say that they 'excuse themselves'. You say that they apologize. If you want to say that you are sorry for something you have done, you say Sorry, I'm sorry, or I apologize.
She apologized for being so unkind.
'You're late.' – 'Sorry.'
See apologize
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
excuse
Past participle: excused
Gerund: excusing
| Imperative |
|---|
| excuse |
| excuse |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  excuse - a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.; "he kept finding excuses to stay"; "every day he had a new alibi for not getting a job"; "his transparent self-justification was unacceptable"vindication, defense, defence - the justification for some act or belief; "he offered a persuasive defense of the theory" extenuation, mitigation - a partial excuse to mitigate censure; an attempt to represent an offense as less serious than it appears by showing mitigating circumstances |
| 2. | excuse - a note explaining an absence; "he had to get his mother to write an excuse for him" | |
| 3. | excuse - a poor example; "it was an apology for a meal"; "a poor excuse for an automobile" example, instance, illustration, representative - an item of information that is typical of a class or group; "this patient provides a typical example of the syndrome"; "there is an example on page 10" | |
| Verb | 1. | excuse - accept an excuse for; "Please excuse my dirty hands" forgive - stop blaming or grant forgiveness; "I forgave him his infidelity"; "She cannot forgive him for forgetting her birthday" |
| 2. | excuse - grant exemption or release to; "Please excuse me from this class" frank - exempt by means of an official pass or letter, as from customs or other checks | |
| 3. | excuse - serve as a reason or cause or justification of; "Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work"; "Her recent divorce may explain her reluctance to date again" alibi - exonerate by means of an alibi | |
| 4. | excuse - defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning; "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success" plead - offer as an excuse or plea; "She was pleading insanity" | |
| 5. | excuse - ask for permission to be released from an engagement | |
| 6. | excuse - excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with; "excuse someone's behavior"; "She condoned her husband's occasional infidelities" forgive - stop blaming or grant forgiveness; "I forgave him his infidelity"; "She cannot forgive him for forgetting her birthday" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
excuse
noun
1. justification, reason, explanation, defence, grounds, plea, apology, pretext, vindication, mitigation, mitigating circumstances, extenuation There is no excuse for what he did.
justification charge, accusation, indictment, imputation
justification charge, accusation, indictment, imputation
verb
1. justify, explain, defend, vindicate, condone, mitigate, apologize for, make excuses for I know you're upset but that doesn't excuse your behaviour.
justify accuse, blame, correct, condemn, punish, compel, oblige, criticize, censure, hold responsible, chastise, chasten, point a or the finger at
justify accuse, blame, correct, condemn, punish, compel, oblige, criticize, censure, hold responsible, chastise, chasten, point a or the finger at
2. forgive, pardon, overlook, tolerate, indulge, acquit, pass over, turn a blind eye to, exonerate, absolve, bear with, wink at, make allowances for, extenuate, exculpate He's a total bastard - excuse me for swearing.
3. free, relieve, liberate, exempt, release, spare, discharge, let off, absolve She was excused from her duties for the day.
free charge, sentence, convict, indict, arraign
free charge, sentence, convict, indict, arraign
excuse me I beg your pardon, sorry, pardon, pardon me Excuse me, but could I just squeeze past you?
Quotations
"And oftentimes excusing of a fault"
"Doth make the fault the worser by th'excuse" [William Shakespeare King John]
"Several excuses are always less convincing than one" [Aldous Huxley Point Counter Point]
"A real failure does not need an excuse. It is an end in itself" [Gertrude Stein Four in America]
"And oftentimes excusing of a fault"
"Doth make the fault the worser by th'excuse" [William Shakespeare King John]
"Several excuses are always less convincing than one" [Aldous Huxley Point Counter Point]
"A real failure does not need an excuse. It is an end in itself" [Gertrude Stein Four in America]
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
excuse
verb1. To grant forgiveness to or for:
Idiom: forgive and forget.
2. To show to be just, right, or valid:
Idiom: make a case for.
2. A statement of acknowledgment expressing regret or asking pardon:
3. The act or an instance of forgiving:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
excuse
A. [ɪksˈkjuːs] N (= justification) → excusa f, disculpa f; (= pretext) → pretexto m
there's no excuse for this → esto no admite disculpa
it's only an excuse → es un pretexto nada más
on the excuse that → con el pretexto de que ...
to make excuses for sb → presentar disculpas por algn
he's only making excuses → está buscando pretextos
he made his excuses and left → presentó sus excusas y se marchó
he gives poverty as his excuse → alega su pobreza
what's your excuse this time? → ¿qué excusa or disculpa me das esta vez?
there's no excuse for this → esto no admite disculpa
it's only an excuse → es un pretexto nada más
on the excuse that → con el pretexto de que ...
to make excuses for sb → presentar disculpas por algn
he's only making excuses → está buscando pretextos
he made his excuses and left → presentó sus excusas y se marchó
he gives poverty as his excuse → alega su pobreza
what's your excuse this time? → ¿qué excusa or disculpa me das esta vez?
B. [ɪksˈkjuːz] VT
1. (= forgive) → disculpar, perdonar
to excuse sb sth → perdonar algo a algn
excuse me! (asking a favour) → por favor, perdón; (interrupting sb) → perdóneme; (when passing) → perdón, con permiso; (= sorry) → ¡perdón!; (on leaving table) → ¡con permiso!
excuse me? (US) → ¿perdone?, ¿mande? (Mex)
now, if you will excuse me → con permiso ...
if you will excuse me I must go → con permiso de ustedes tengo que marcharme
may I be excused for a moment? → ¿puedo salir un momento?
to excuse sb sth → perdonar algo a algn
excuse me! (asking a favour) → por favor, perdón; (interrupting sb) → perdóneme; (when passing) → perdón, con permiso; (= sorry) → ¡perdón!; (on leaving table) → ¡con permiso!
excuse me? (US) → ¿perdone?, ¿mande? (Mex)
now, if you will excuse me → con permiso ...
if you will excuse me I must go → con permiso de ustedes tengo que marcharme
may I be excused for a moment? → ¿puedo salir un momento?
2. (= justify) → justificar
that does not excuse his conduct → eso no justifica su conducta
to excuse o.s. (for sth/for doing sth) → pedir disculpas (por algo/por haber hecho algo)
that does not excuse his conduct → eso no justifica su conducta
to excuse o.s. (for sth/for doing sth) → pedir disculpas (por algo/por haber hecho algo)
3. (= exempt) to excuse sb (from sth/from doing sth) → dispensar or eximir a algn (de algo/de hacer algo)
to excuse o.s. (from sth/from doing sth) → dispensarse (de algo/de hacer algo)
after ten minutes he excused himself → después de diez minutos pidió permiso y se fue
to ask to be excused → pedir permiso
I must ask to be excused this time → esta vez les ruego que me dispensen or disculpen
to excuse o.s. (from sth/from doing sth) → dispensarse (de algo/de hacer algo)
after ten minutes he excused himself → después de diez minutos pidió permiso y se fue
to ask to be excused → pedir permiso
I must ask to be excused this time → esta vez les ruego que me dispensen or disculpen
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
excuse
(ikˈskjuːz) verb1. to forgive or pardon. Excuse me – can you tell me the time?; I'll excuse your carelessness this time.perdonar, excusar
2. to free (someone) from a task, duty etc. May I be excused from writing this essay?dispensar
(ikˈskjuːs) noun a reason (given by oneself) for being excused, or a reason for excusing. He has no excuse for being so late.excusa
excusable (ikˈskjuːzəbl) adjective pardonable. perdonable
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
excuse
→ disculpar , excusaMultilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
excuse
vt. excusar, perdonar, dispensar;
___ me → con permiso.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
excuse
n excusa; work — excusa médica para el trabajoEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.