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61 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]


  Excuse \Ex*cuse"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Excused; p. pr. & vb.
     n. Excusing.] [OE. escusen, cusen, OF. escuser, excuser, F.
     excuser, fr. L. excusare; ex out + causa cause, causari to
     plead. See Cause.]
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              I must excuse what can not be amended. --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To regard with indulgence; to view leniently or to
        overlook; to pardon.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              And in our own (excuse some courtly stains.)
              No whiter page than Addison remains.  --Pope.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              I pray thee have me excused.          --xiv. 19.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make
        apology for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or
        indulgence for.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Think ye that we excuse ourselves to you? --2 Cor.
                                                    xii. 19.
  
     Syn: To vindicate; exculpate; absolve; acquit.
  
     Usage: - 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.
            [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]


  Excuse \Ex*cuse"\, n. [Cf. F. excuse. See Excuse, v. t.]
     1. The act of excusing, apologizing, exculpating, pardoning,
        releasing, and the like; acquittal; release; absolution;
        justification; extenuation.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Pleading so wisely in excuse of it.   --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Hence with denial vain and coy excuse. --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. That which excuses; that which extenuates or justifies a
        fault. ``It hath the excuse of youth.'' --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              If eyes were made for seeing.
              Then beauty is its own excuse for being. --Emerson.
  
     Syn: See Apology.
          [1913 Webster]

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]


  Excuse \Ex*cuse"\, n. [Cf. F. excuse. See Excuse, v. t.]
     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.'' --Shak.
  
              If eyes were made for seeing. Then beauty is its own
              excuse for being.                     --Emerson.
  
     Syn: See Apology.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]


  Excuse \Ex*cuse"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Excused; p. pr. & vb.
     n. Excusing.] [OE. escusen, cusen, OF. escuser, excuser, F.
     excuser, fr. L. excusare; ex out + causa cause, causari to
     plead. See Cause.]
     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.
  
     Syn: To vindicate; exculpate; absolve; acquit.
  
     Usage: - 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.

From WordNet (r) 2.0 : [ wn ]


  excuse
       n 1: 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"
            [syn: alibi, exculpation, self-justification]
       2: a note explaining an absence; "he had to get his mother to
          write an excuse for him"
       3: a poor example; "it was an apology for a meal"; "a poor
          excuse for an automobile" [syn: apology]
       v 1: accept an excuse for; "Please excuse my dirty hands" [syn: pardon]
       2: grant exemption or release to; "Please excuse me from this
          class" [syn: relieve, let off, exempt]
       3: 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 amy explain her reluctance to date
          again" [syn: explain]
       4: defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by
          reasoning; "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy
          behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success" [syn: apologize,
           apologise, justify, rationalize, rationalise]
       5: ask for permission to be released from an engagement [syn: beg
          off]
       6: excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with;
          "excuse someone's behavior"; "She condoned her husband's
          occasional infidelities" [syn: condone]

From Greek Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-el-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  excuse
     Γαλλικά n.
     η δικαιολογία, η δικαιολόγηση, η απολογία

From English Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  excuse
     Latin part.p.
     (inflection of la excūsus  voc m s)
     n.
     1 (lb en countable uncountable) Explanation designed to avoid or
  alleviate guilt or negative judgment; a plea offered in extenuation of a
  fault.
     2 (lb en legal) 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.
     3 {lb|en|often with preceding negative adjective, especially (m en
  sorry), (m en poor)(,) or (m en lame)} An example of something that is
  substandard or of inferior quality.
     vb.
     1 (lb en transitive) To forgive; to pardon.
     2 (lb en transitive) To allow to leave, or release from any
  obligation.
     3 (lb en transitive) To provide an excuse for; to explain, with the
  aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement.
     4 To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology
  for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or indulgence for.

From English Wiktionary: English language only (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-en-2023-07-27 ]


  excuse
     n.
     1 (lb en countable uncountable) Explanation designed to avoid or
  alleviate guilt or negative judgment; a plea offered in extenuation of a
  fault.
     2 (lb en legal) 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.
     3 {lb|en|often with preceding negative adjective, especially (m en
  sorry), (m en poor)(,) or (m en lame)} An example of something that is
  substandard or of inferior quality.
     vb.
     1 (lb en transitive) To forgive; to pardon.
     2 (lb en transitive) To allow to leave, or release from any
  obligation.
     3 (lb en transitive) To provide an excuse for; to explain, with the
  aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement.
     4 To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology
  for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or indulgence for.

From English Wiktionary: Western, Greek, and Slavonic languages only (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-Western_Greek_Slavonic-2023-07-27 ]


  excuse
     Latin part.p.
     (inflection of la excūsus  voc m s)
     n.
     1 (lb en countable uncountable) Explanation designed to avoid or
  alleviate guilt or negative judgment; a plea offered in extenuation of a
  fault.
     2 (lb en legal) 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.
     3 {lb|en|often with preceding negative adjective, especially (m en
  sorry), (m en poor)(,) or (m en lame)} An example of something that is
  substandard or of inferior quality.
     vb.
     1 (lb en transitive) To forgive; to pardon.
     2 (lb en transitive) To allow to leave, or release from any
  obligation.
     3 (lb en transitive) To provide an excuse for; to explain, with the
  aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement.
     4 To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology
  for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or indulgence for.

From English Wiktionary: Western languages only (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-en-Western-2023-07-27 ]


  excuse
     Latin part.p.
     (inflection of la excūsus  voc m s)
     n.
     1 (lb en countable uncountable) Explanation designed to avoid or
  alleviate guilt or negative judgment; a plea offered in extenuation of a
  fault.
     2 (lb en legal) 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.
     3 {lb|en|often with preceding negative adjective, especially (m en
  sorry), (m en poor)(,) or (m en lame)} An example of something that is
  substandard or of inferior quality.
     vb.
     1 (lb en transitive) To forgive; to pardon.
     2 (lb en transitive) To allow to leave, or release from any
  obligation.
     3 (lb en transitive) To provide an excuse for; to explain, with the
  aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement.
     4 To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology
  for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or indulgence for.

From Finnish Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-fi-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  excuse
     Ranska n.
     1 selitys
     2 anteeksianto, anteeksipyyntö, puolustus
     Ranska vb.
     (fr-v-taivm 1 e xcus e)

From Swedish Wiktionary: All languages (2023-07-27) : [ dictinfo.com:wikt-sv-ALL-2023-07-27 ]


  excuse
     Engelska n.
     ursäkt
     Engelska vb.
     ursäkta, förlåta

From English-Afrikaans FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.1.3 : [ freedict:eng-afr ]


  excuse /ɛkskjˈuːs/
  verskoon my

From English-Arabic FreeDict Dictionary ver. 0.6.3 : [ freedict:eng-ara ]


  Excuse /ɛkskjˈuːs/
  العذر

From English-български език FreeDict+WikDict dictionary ver. 2023.05.29 : [ freedict:eng-bul ]


  excuse //ɛksˈkjus// //ɛksˈkjuz// //ɛksˈkjuːs// //ɛksˈkjuːz// //ɪksˈkjus// //ɪksˈkjuz// //ɪkˈskjuːs// //ɪkˈskjuːz// 
  извине́ние, оправда́ние, предло́г
  explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement

From English-български език FreeDict+WikDict dictionary ver. 2023.05.29 : [ freedict:eng-bul ]


  excuse //ɛksˈkjus// //ɛksˈkjuz// //ɛksˈkjuːs// //ɛksˈkjuːz// //ɪksˈkjus// //ɪksˈkjuz// //ɪkˈskjuːs// //ɪkˈskjuːz// 
  1. оправда́вам, оправда́я
  explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement
  2. извиня́, извиня́вам, простя́, проща́вам
  forgive, pardon