3 definitions found
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 1.6 [wn]:
excuse
n : 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},
{self-justification}]
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 an excuse for [syn: {explain}]
4: make excuses for [syn: {apologize}, {apologise}, {justify},
{rationalize}]
5: ask for permission to be released from an engagement [syn: {beg
off}]
6: excuse or make allowances for be lenient with "excuse
someone's behavior" [syn: {condone}]
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