excuse

present singular third person excuses · participle present excusing · participle past excused · past excused

1. transitiveTo forgive; to pardon; to overlook.

   I excused him his transgressions.

   2 more examples

   Yet his Nature / In that’s no Changeling, and I muſt excuſe / What cannot be amended.

   c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii], page 25, column 1

   If they say that he did sin in doing this, then they must at the same time acknowledge that a man's persuasion that a thing is a duty will not excuse him from guilt in practising it

   c. 1685, John Sharp, A Discourse of Conscience

2. transitiveTo allow to leave, or release from any obligation.

   May I be excused from the table?

   1 more example

   I excused myself from the proceedings to think over what I'd heard.

   Synonyms: forgive, let off the hook, let pass, pardon, unguilt

3. transitiveTo provide an excuse for; to justify.

   You know he shouldn't have done it, so don't try to excuse his behavior!

   1 more example

   They cannot be excusyd By reason nor by law; […]

   c. 1503–1512, John Skelton, Ware the Hauke; republished in John Scattergood, editor, John Skelton: The Complete English Poems, 1983, →OCLC, page 62, lines 6–7

   Synonyms: plead, adduce

4. To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or indulgence for.

   It were more meet that thou didst accuse thy self, and excusedst thy Brother.

   1705, Thomas à Kempis (unknown translator), The Christian’s Pattern: or, A Treatise of the Imitation of Jesus Christ, London: T. C. Hansard, […], published 1831, page 54

   1 more example

   Agayne / thynke ye that we excuſe oure ſelves? we ſpeake in Chriſt in the ſight of God. But we do all thyngꝭ dearly beloved for youre edifyinge.

   1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, 2 Corinthians xij:[19], folio ccxlvj, verso

plural excuses

1. countableuncountableAn explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment; a plea offered in extenuation of a fault.

   a tired excuse

   5 more examples

   Tell me why you were late – and I don't want to hear any excuses!

   I had to make an excuse for being late to the meeting.

   a feeble excuse

   a valid excuse

   And they all atonce begane to make excuſe. The fyrſt ſayd vnto him: I have bought a ferme / and I muſt nedes goo and ſe it / I praye the have me excuſed.

   1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Luke xiiij:[18], folio cj, recto

   Synonyms: cop-out, pretext release, clear, justify, forgive, tolerate, overlook, exempt

2. countableuncountablelawA 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. countableoftenuncountableespecially sorry; poor; or lame; especially sorry; poor; or lameAn example of something that is substandard or of inferior quality.

   He's a sorry excuse for a doctor.

   3 more examples

   That thing is a poor excuse for a gingerbread man. Hasn't anyone taught you how to bake?

   What a fucking lame excuse for a man.

   2008, Christos Tsiolkas, The Slap, London: Atlantic Books, page 131

   Seydlitz correctly identifies the larger shell splashes as coming from the two "large light cruisers" at the rear, and takes aim. Moments later, Courageous sheers out of line, smoke and steam venting through a massive hole in her side, the shells having blasted right through whatever excuse for armor was present and detonated amidst the boiler rooms. She is doomed.

   2018 October 17, Drachinifel, 15:10 from the start, in Last Ride of the High Seas Fleet - Battle of Texel 1918, archived from the original on 04 Aug 2022