EXCUSE

I. transitive verb (~d; excusing) Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French escuser, ~r, from Latin excusare, from ex- + causa cause, explanation Date: 13th century 1. to make apology for, to try to remove blame from, to forgive entirely or disregard as of trivial import ; regard as excusable , 3. to grant exemption or release to , to allow to leave , to serve as ~ for ; justify , excusable adjective excusableness noun excusably adverb ~r noun Synonyms: see: ~ II. noun Date: 14th century the act of excusing, 2. something offered as justification or as grounds for being ~d, an expression of regret for failure to do something, a note of explanation of an absence, justification , reason , see: apology