excuse
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also excusé
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
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.
Pronunciation [edit]
Verb
- (UK) enPR: ĭkskyo͞oz', IPA: /ɪkˈskjuːz/, /ɛksˈkjuːz/. X-SAMPA: /Iks"kju:z/, /Eks"kju:z/
- (US) enPR: ĭkskyo͞oz', IPA: /ɪksˈkjuz/, X-SAMPA: /Eks"kjuz/
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Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -uːz
Noun
- (UK) enPR: ĭkskyo͞os', IPA: /ɪkˈskjuːs/, /ɛksˈkjuːs/, X-SAMPA: /Iks"kju:s/, /Eks"kju:s/
- (US) enPR: ĭkskyo͞os', IPA: /ɪksˈkjus/, X-SAMPA: /Eks"kjus/
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Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -uːs
Verb [edit]
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.
- (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!
Synonyms [edit]
- (to release from guilt, shame, or punishment): forgive, let off the hook, let pass, pardon, unguilt
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
forgive, pardon
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allow to leave
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explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement
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Noun [edit]
excuse (plural excuses)
- An explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment.
- Tell me why you were late – and I don't want to hear any excuses!
- (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 notes [edit]
- We often say to make an excuse.
See also Appendix:MakeDoTakeHave
Synonyms [edit]
- (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment): pretext
Translations [edit]
explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement
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External links [edit]
- excuse in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- excuse in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
French [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From excuser.
Pronunciation [edit]
Noun [edit]
excuse f (plural excuses)
Verb [edit]
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
Latin [edit]
Participle [edit]
excūse
- vocative masculine singular of excūsus
Spanish [edit]
Verb [edit]
excuse (infinitive excusar)
Categories:
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English verbs
- English nouns
- en:Law
- English heteronyms
- French nouns
- French feminine nouns
- French countable nouns
- French verb forms
- Latin participle forms
- Spanish verb forms
- Spanish verb imperative forms
- Spanish verb singular forms
- Spanish verb second-person forms
- Spanish verb formal forms
- Spanish forms of verbs ending in -ar
- Spanish verb subjunctive forms
- Spanish verb first-person forms
- Spanish verb present forms
- Spanish verb third-person forms
