I. ikˈskyüz, ek-, in “excuse me” often ˈsky- verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English excusen, from Old French escuser, excuser, from Latin excusare, from ex- ex- (I) + -cusare (from causa cause, apology) — more at cause
transitive verb
1.
a. : to offer excuse for : make apology for
he excused his delay as due to the weather
b. : to try to remove blame from : seek indulgence for : seek to extenuate
excusing himself for his delay
2.
a. : to seek or obtain exemption or release for
asked the school principal to excuse the boys from religious services
b. obsolete : to serve as a means of exemption from : serve as a substitute for
3. : to accept an excuse for : regard as excusable : forgive entirely or admit to be little censurable and to overlook : pardon
we excuse irregular conduct when circumstances justify it
4. : to regard with indulgence : overlook
it is easy to excuse one's own faults
— often used as an introductory apology (as when interrupting or expressing disagreement)
excuse me, but do you mind if I shut the window?
5.
a. : to grant exemption or release to or from : free from an obligation or duty
the judge excused the young man's fine because of the unusual circumstances
b. : to permit to leave a place or stop an activity or task
class is excused
you are excused the rest of the translation
6.
a. : to serve as excuse for : free from imputation of fault : clear from guilt : exculpate , justify
one's own assurance of propriety cannot excuse jeopardizing another's happiness
perhaps, knowing what you do, you can excuse him
b. obsolete : to release from a charge
intransitive verb
: to ask or grant excuse
while some accuse, others excuse
: serve as an excuse
such loving self-sacrifice goes far toward excusing
Synonyms:
condone , pardon , forgive : excuse indicates a passing over of some fault, omission, neglect, or failure without further consideration, censure, or punishment, redress, or retaliation in view of extenuating conditions
the plea of ‘frontier conditions’ could no longer excuse the lack of an adequate public-school system — American Guide Series: Michigan
guilty of contributory negligence, in default, at least, of special circumstances excusing the omission — B.N.Cardozo
the injustice with which he had been treated would have excused him if he had resorted to violent methods of redress — T.B.Macaulay
condone may indicate accepting without protest, censure, or punishment some reprehensible action or condition because of circumstances
those Anglo-Saxon critics of the brutality of the bullfight who condone the hunting of the fox or the killing of deer — W.D.Patterson
often he got into scrapes, but they were the manly scrapes that are easily condoned — D.H.Lawrence
institutionalized suicide, condoned, approved, or even exacted by a code and therefore by the culture — A.L.Kroeber
pardon may indicate waiving of punishment or censure and reinstatement to grace especially by a superior and in legal, formal, or social situations
pardoned by the state governor
it became necessary for us both to fly for our lives. In the circumstances we could not look to be pardoned, even on the score of youth — W.H.Hudson †1922
the most good-natured of women pardoned the error — W.M.Thackeray
forgive may apply to genuine, sincere change of feeling whereby resentment and desire for retaliation on or punishment of an offender are no longer felt
the Mayor invariably gazed stormfully past him, like one who had endured and lost on his account, and could in no sense forgive the wrong — Thomas Hardy
he forgave injuries so readily that he might be said to invite them — T.B.Macaulay
II. ikˈskyüs, ek- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from excuser
1. : the act of excusing (as by apologizing, exculpating, pardoning, or releasing) : acquittal , release , absolution , justification
pleading so wisely in excuse of it — Shakespeare
2.
a. : something offered as grounds for being excused : a justifying explanation of a fault or defect
what's your excuse for being late this morning?
he made his ill health an excuse for everything
b. excuses plural : an expression of regret for failure to do or participate in something often conveyed through a third party
make my excuses to your cousin, I'm sorry to miss her tea
c. : a note of explanation (as from a parent or teacher) concerning the absence of an individual (as from class or work)
3.
a. : something that serves to excuse : anything that justifies or extenuates a fault or defect
I suppose his youth is an excuse for his flighty ways
forgetfulness is no excuse for bad manners
b. : a purpose or use that justifies : justification , reason
such loveliness is enough excuse for being
4. : an inferior example or instance of a kind specified
finally turned in a blotted excuse for a composition
this rattletrap is a poor excuse for a car
Synonyms: see apology