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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

excuse en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • ĭkskyo͞os' (US)
  • ĭkskyo͞os' (UK)
  • /ɛksˈkjus/ (US)
  • /ɪksˈkjus/ (US)
  • /ɛksˈkjuːs/ (UK)
  • (US) audio
  • /ɪkˈskjuːs/ (UK)
  • (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs Proto-Italic *eks Latin ex Latin ex- Proto-Italic *kaussā Old Latin caussa Latin causa Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin excūsāreder. Old French escuserder. Middle English excusen ▲ Latin excūsāreder. Old French excuseder. Middle English excuse English excuse From Middle English excusen (verb) and excuse (noun), borrowed from Old French escuser (verb) and excuse (noun), from Latin excūsō, excūsāre (“to excuse, allege in excuse, literally, free from a charge”), from ex (“out”) + causa (“a charge”); see cause, accuse and recuse. Displaced native Old English lād (“an excuse”) and lādian (“to excuse”).

Meanings

  1. (countable, uncountable) An explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment; a plea offered in extenuation of a fault.
    • a valid excuse
    • You can kiss a hundred boys in bars Shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling You can say it's just the way you are Make a new excuse, another stupid reason 2024 April 5, Chappell Roan, Justin Tranter, Dan Nigro, “Good Luck, Babe!”performed by Chappell Roan:
    • 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:
    • Tell me why you were late – and I don't want to hear any excuses!
    • a feeble excuse
    • a tired excuse
    • I had to make an excuse for being late to the meeting.
  2. (countable, uncountable) 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. (countable, often, qualifier:especially sorry; poor; or lame; especially sorry; poor; or lame, uncountable, with preceding negative adjective) An example of something that is substandard or of inferior quality.
    • That thing is a poor excuse for a gingerbread man. Hasn't anyone taught you how to bake?
    • He's a sorry excuse for a doctor.
    • 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:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
excuses Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

excuseless · excusal · excuseflation · abuse excuse

Relateds

rationalization

Synonyms

pardon (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment) · exonerate (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment) · discharge (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment) · clear (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment) · pretext (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment) · justify (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment) · overlook (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment) · pretense (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment) · vindicate (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment) · cop-out · acquit (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment) · forgive (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment) · pretext release (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment) · tolerate (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment) · bear with (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment) · exempt (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment) · absolve (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment)

Translations (107)

txb ṣewi (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · th ข้อแก้ตัว (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · fi veruke (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · cs omluva (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · he אמתלה (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ko 변명 (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ur بَہانَہ (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · hu kifogás (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · tr mazeret (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ota معذرت (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ja 弁明 (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · da undskyldning (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · vi cớ (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · cmn 藉口 /借口 (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · be адмо́ўка (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · grc μύνη (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · sv ursäkt (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · he תֵּרוּץ (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · cs záminka (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ca excusa (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · mr सबब (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · chr ᏗᏢᏈᏍᏙᏗ (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · it pretesto (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · cmn 辯解 /辩解 (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · fi tekosyy (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ar عُذْر (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ml ഒഴിവുകഴിവ് (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · fa عذر (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · he תירוץ (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · pt desculpa (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ota قولپ (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · it scusa (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · grc πρόφασις (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · xal шалтг (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · la praetextum (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · uk відмо́вка (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ms alasan (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · mk изговор (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · fa بهانه (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · got 𐌹𐌽𐌹𐌻𐍉 (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · pl pretekst (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · cy esgus (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · nl excuus n smoes (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · oc excusa (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · grc σκῆψις (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · pl wymówka (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ru извине́ние (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · eo senkulpigo (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · fr excuse (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · eo ekskuzo (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · fr prétexte (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ja 弁解 (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · uk ви́мовка (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · mnc ᡴᠠᠨᠠᡤᠠᠨ (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · bg извине́ние (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ky шылтоо (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · mhr амал (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · tl dahilan (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · et vabandus (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ang lād (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · be адгаво́рка (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · hi बहाना (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · be апраўда́нне (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · nb unnskyldning (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · de Ausrede (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · io exkuzo (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ja 口実 (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ga leithscéal (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · zdj udhuri (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · fi selitys (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · nl uitvlucht (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · hy պատրվակ (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · hu mentség (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · el δικαιολογία (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · be адгаво́р (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ta பஜனை (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ko 핑계 (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · cs výmluva (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · az bəhanə (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · km លេស (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · pl wykręt (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · pl usprawiedliwienie (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · mwl çculpa (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · fa توجیه (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ta சாக்கு (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · yi תּירוץ (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · mk оправдување (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · mi takutakunga (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ang lādung (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ml ക്ഷമാപണം (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ru предло́г (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ja 言い訳 (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · gd leisgeul (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · sk výhovorka (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ru отгово́рка (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · mi takunga (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · is afsökun (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · de Ausflucht (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · mnc ᡶᡳᡴᡨᡠ (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · tr bahane (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · sh opravdanje (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · bg предло́г (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · sh оправдање (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · es excusa (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · bg оправда́ние (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · mr कारण (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement) · ru оправда́ние (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgement)

excuse en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /ɪksˈkjuz/ (US)
  • ĭkskyo͞oz' (UK)
  • /ɛksˈkjuːz/ (UK)
  • ĭkskyo͞oz' (US)
  • /ɪkˈskjuːz/ (UK)
  • /ɛksˈkjuz/ (US)
  • (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰ Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs Proto-Italic *eks Latin ex Latin ex- Proto-Italic *kaussā Old Latin caussa Latin causa Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin excūsāreder. Old French escuserder. Middle English excusen ▲ Latin excūsāreder. Old French excuseder. Middle English excuse English excuse From Middle English excusen (verb) and excuse (noun), borrowed from Old French escuser (verb) and excuse (noun), from Latin excūsō, excūsāre (“to excuse, allege in excuse, literally, free from a charge”), from ex (“out”) + causa (“a charge”); see cause, accuse and recuse. Displaced native Old English lād (“an excuse”) and lādian (“to excuse”).

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To forgive; to pardon; to overlook.
    • 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:
    • I excused him his transgressions.
  2. (transitive) To allow to leave, or release from any obligation.
    • May I be excused from the table?
    • I excused myself from the proceedings to think over what I'd heard.
  3. (transitive) To provide an excuse for; to justify.
    • 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:
    • You know he shouldn't have done it, so don't try to excuse his behavior!
  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:
    • 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:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
excused Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
excused Tense=Past lexicographic
excuses Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
excusing Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Antonyms

punish (antonym(s) of “to release from guilt, shame, or punishment”) · blame (antonym(s) of “to release from guilt, shame, or punishment”)

Deriveds

excuse my French · please excuse my dear Aunt Sally · excusingly · excuse you · unexcused · excuse me · blind excuse · excuse my français · unexcusing · 'scuse · excusability · XQs

Synonyms

pardon (to release from guilt, shame, or punishment) · plead (justify) · forgive (to release from guilt, shame, or punishment) · unguilt (to release from guilt, shame, or punishment) · adduce (justify) · let pass (to release from guilt, shame, or punishment) · let off the hook (to release from guilt, shame, or punishment)

Translations (129)

he סלח (forgive, pardon) · tr muaf tutmak (allow to leave) · fi perustella (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · hu felment (allow to leave) · gl perdoar (forgive, pardon) · uk дарува́ти (forgive, pardon) · th ให้อภัย (forgive, pardon) · pl przebaczać (forgive, pardon) · pa پَجّ (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · ru извини́ть pf проща́ть (forgive, pardon) · ko 변명하다 (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · ml ക്ഷമിയ്ക്കുക (forgive, pardon) · pt escusar (allow to leave) · fi poistua (allow to leave) · no unnskylde (forgive, pardon) · bg оправда́вам (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · es excusar (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · fr justifier (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · pl usprawiedliwić (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · pl wybaczyć (forgive, pardon) · la utior (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · hu kimagyaráz (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · hu elenged (allow to leave) · be праба́чыць (forgive, pardon) · pt desculpar (forgive, pardon) · it perdonare (forgive, pardon) · it scusare (forgive, pardon) · no tilgi (forgive, pardon) · cs omlouvat (forgive, pardon) · sv ursäkta (forgive, pardon) · th แก้ตัว (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · uk проба́чити (forgive, pardon) · de entschuldigen (forgive, pardon) · ar عَذَرَ (forgive, pardon) · sk ospravedlniť (forgive, pardon) · mk извинува (forgive, pardon) · hu megbocsát (forgive, pardon) · ca excusar (forgive, pardon) · ja 言い訳をする (allow to leave) · pt desculpar-se (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · cmn 原諒 /原谅 (forgive, pardon) · ja 許す (forgive, pardon) · fr excuser (allow to leave) · de verzeihen (forgive, pardon) · nl excuseren (allow to leave) · ar اِعْتَذَرَ (allow to leave) · nl vergeven (forgive, pardon) · fi antaa anteeksi (forgive, pardon) · el συγχωρώ (forgive, pardon) · pl usprawiedliwić (allow to leave) · it scusare (allow to leave) · sv ursäkta (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · hu felment (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · ang lādian (forgive, pardon) · hu menteget (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · uk прости́ти (forgive, pardon) · sv urskuldra (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · da undskylde (forgive, pardon) · bg проща́вам (forgive, pardon) · bg извиня́вам (forgive, pardon) · he שחרר (allow to leave) · cmn 請求離開 /请求离开 (allow to leave) · cs omluvit (forgive, pardon) · la īgnōscō (forgive, pardon) · tl magpatawad (forgive, pardon) · ru извиня́ться (allow to leave) · tl patawarin (forgive, pardon) · be вы́бачыць (forgive, pardon) · es excusar (forgive, pardon) · la excūsō (forgive, pardon) · pl wybaczać (forgive, pardon) · ru прости́ть (forgive, pardon) · fr excuser (forgive, pardon) · ang lādian (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · ja 弁明する (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · tr mazur görmek (forgive, pardon) · hu kiment (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · pt perdoar (forgive, pardon) · yi אַנטשולדיקן (forgive, pardon) · ru опра́вдывать (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · cmn 辯解 /辩解 (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · it giustificarsi (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · es disculpar (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · ko 용서하다 (forgive, pardon) · ru извиня́ть (forgive, pardon) · uk вибача́ти (forgive, pardon) · be дарава́ць (forgive, pardon) · de sich entschuldigen (allow to leave) · pa بَہانَہ (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · be выбача́ць (forgive, pardon) · pt dispensar (allow to leave) · nl excuseren (forgive, pardon) · vi cho nghỉ (allow to leave) · la excuso (allow to leave) · he תירץ (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · ro scuza (forgive, pardon) · de entschuldigen (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · ja 言い訳する (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · bg извиня́ (forgive, pardon) · es perdonar (forgive, pardon) · ta மன்னி (forgive, pardon) · uk проща́ти (forgive, pardon) · mk извини (forgive, pardon) · uk подарува́ти (forgive, pardon) · pl przebaczyć (forgive, pardon) · th ยกโทษให้ (forgive, pardon) · it scusarsi (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · bg простя́ (forgive, pardon) · ang lādian (allow to leave) · uk ви́бачити (forgive, pardon) · gd math (forgive, pardon) · he מחל (forgive, pardon) · uk пробача́ти (forgive, pardon) · ru оправда́ть (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · oc excusar (forgive, pardon) · nl goedpraten (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · fr pardonner (forgive, pardon) · hu magyaráz (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · fr excuser (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · bg оправда́я (explain with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement) · nl verontschuldigen (allow to leave) · mi whakawātea (allow to leave) · be прабача́ць (forgive, pardon) · io exkuzar (forgive, pardon) · sk ospravedlňovať (forgive, pardon) · be падарава́ць (forgive, pardon) · da tilgive (forgive, pardon) · ang forġiefan (forgive, pardon) · tl hayaan (allow to leave)