Lexic.us

Definition of Excuse

1. Verb. Accept an excuse for. "Please excuse my dirty hands"

2. Noun. A defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.. "His transparent self-justification was unacceptable"

3. Verb. Grant exemption or release to. "Sam cannot excuse Sue "; "Please excuse me from this class"

4. Noun. A note explaining an absence. "He had to get his mother to write an excuse for him"

5. Verb. Serve as a reason or cause or justification of. "Her recent divorce may explain her reluctance to date again"

6. Noun. A poor example. "A poor excuse for an automobile"

7. Verb. Defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning. "He rationalized his lack of success"

8. Verb. Ask for permission to be released from an engagement.

9. Verb. Excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with. "She condoned her husband's occasional infidelities"

Definition of Excuse

1. v. t. To free from accusation, or the imputation of fault or blame; to clear from guilt; to release from a charge; to justify by extenuating a fault; to exculpate; to absolve; to acquit.

2. n. The act of excusing, apologizing, exculpating, pardoning, releasing, and the like; acquittal; release; absolution; justification; extenuation.

Definition of Excuse

1. Verb. (transitive) To forgive; to pardon. ¹

2. Verb. (transitive) To allow to leave. ¹

3. Verb. (transitive) To provide an excuse for; to explain, with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement. ¹

4. Noun. An explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Excuse

1. to apologize for [v -CUSED, -CUSING, -CUSES]

Medical Definition of Excuse

1. 1. To free from accusation, or the imputation of fault or blame; to clear from guilt; to release from a charge; to justify by extenuating a fault; to exculpate; to absolve; to acquit. "A man's persuasion that a thing is duty, will not excuse him from guilt in practicing it, if really and indeed it be against Gog's law." (Abp. Sharp) 2. To pardon, as a fault; to forgive entirely, or to admit to be little censurable, and to overlook; as, we excuse irregular conduct, when extraordinary circumstances appear to justify it. "I must excuse what can not be amended." (Shak) 3. To regard with indulgence; to view leniently or to overlook; to pardon. "And in our own (excuse some courtly stains) No whiter page than Addison remains." (Pope) 4. To free from an impending obligation or duty; hence, to disengage; to dispense with; to release by favor; also, to remit by favor; not to exact; as, to excuse a forfeiture. "I pray thee have me excused." (xiv. 19) 5. To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or indulgence for. "Think ye that we excuse ourselves to you?" (2 Cor. Xii. 19) Synonym: To vindicate, exculpate, absolve, acquit. - To Pardon, Excuse, Forgive. A superior pardons as an act of mercy or generosity; either a superior or an equal excuses. A crime, great fault, or a grave offence, as one against law or morals, may be pardoned; a small fault, such as a failure in social or conventional obligations, slight omissions or neglects may be excused. Forgive relates to offenses against one's self, and punishment foregone; as, to forgive injuries or one who has injured us; to pardon grave offenses, crimes, and criminals; to excuse an act of forgetfulness, an unintentional offense. Pardon is also a word of courtesy employed in the sense of excuse. Origin: OE. Escusen, cusen, OF. Escuser, excuser, F. Excuser, fr. L. Excusare; ex out + causa cause, causari to plead. See Cause. 1. The act of excusing, apologizing, exculpating, pardoning, releasing, and the like; acquittal; release; absolution; justification; extenuation. "Pleading so wisely in excuse of it." (Shak) 2. That which is offered as a reason for being excused; a plea offered in extenuation of a fault or irregular deportment; apology; as, an excuse for neglect of duty; excuses for delay of payment. "Hence with denial vain and coy excuse." (Milton) 3. That which excuses; that which extenuates or justifies a fault. "It hath the excuse of youth." "If eyes were made for seeing. Then beauty is its own excuse for being." (Emerson) Synonym: See Apology. Origin: Cf. F. Excuse. See Excuse. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Excuse

excursiveness excursivenesses excursus excursuses excusable excusableness excusablenesses excusably excusal excusals

excusation excusations excusator excusators excusatory excuse (current term) excuse me excuse my French excused excuseless

excuser excusers excuses excusing excusion excusive excuss excussion

Literary usage of Excuse

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Select Cases on the Law of Torts: With Notes, and a Summary of Principles by John Henry Wigmore (1912)
"An attractive method is to ignore superficial resemblances, and to take as the basis of grouping the essential policy of the excuse, — that which gives it ..."

2. Homerica, Emendations and Elucidations of the Odyssey by Thomas Leyden Agar (1908)
"In fact it is questionable whether any metrical necessity could excuse such a proceeding. ... excuse ..."

Other Resources: