ex·cuse /ɪkˈskjuz, ||ˈskjuz/
(vt.)原諒,寬恕;免除;為…辯解,成為…的理由藉口,辯解;原諒,饒恕
Ex·cuse v. t. [imp. & p. p. Excused p. pr. & vb. n. Excusing.]
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.
Ex·cuse n.
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.
Syn: -- See Apology.
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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]