EXCUSE

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does excuse mean? 

• EXCUSE (noun)
  The noun EXCUSE has 3 senses:

1. a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.

2. a note explaining an absence

3. a poor example

  Familiarity information: EXCUSE used as a noun is uncommon.

• EXCUSE (verb)
  The verb EXCUSE has 6 senses:

1. accept an excuse for

2. grant exemption or release to

3. serve as a reason or cause or justification of

4. defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning

5. ask for permission to be released from an engagement

6. excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with

  Familiarity information: EXCUSE used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• EXCUSE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

alibi; exculpation; excuse; self-justification

Context example:

his transparent self-justification was unacceptable

Hypernyms ("excuse" is a kind of...):

defence; defense; vindication (the justification for some act or belief)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "excuse"):

extenuation; mitigation (a partial excuse to mitigate censure; an attempt to represent an offense as less serious than it appears by showing mitigating circumstances)

Derivation:

excuse (excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with)

excuse (serve as a reason or cause or justification of)

excuse (defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning)

excuse (accept an excuse for)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A note explaining an absence

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

he had to get his mother to write an excuse for him

Hypernyms ("excuse" is a kind of...):

billet; line; note; short letter (a short personal letter)

Derivation:

excuse (grant exemption or release to)

excuse (ask for permission to be released from an engagement)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A poor example

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

apology; excuse

Context example:

a poor excuse for an automobile

Hypernyms ("excuse" is a kind of...):

example; illustration; instance; representative (an item of information that is typical of a class or group)

• EXCUSE (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Accept an excuse for

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

excuse; pardon

Context example:

Please excuse my dirty hands

Hypernyms (to "excuse" is one way to...):

forgive (stop blaming or grant forgiveness)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

excuse (a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Grant exemption or release to

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

excuse; exempt; let off; relieve

Context example:

Please excuse me from this class

Hypernyms (to "excuse" is one way to...):

absolve; free (let off the hook)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "excuse"):

frank (exempt by means of an official pass or letter, as from customs or other checks)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP

Sentence example:

Sam cannot excuse Sue

Derivation:

excuse (a note explaining an absence)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Serve as a reason or cause or justification of

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

excuse; explain

Context example:

Her recent divorce may explain her reluctance to date again

Hypernyms (to "excuse" is one way to...):

justify; vindicate (show to be right by providing justification or proof)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "excuse"):

alibi (exonerate by means of an alibi)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

excuse (a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

apologise; apologize; excuse; rationalise; rationalize

Context example:

he rationalized his lack of success

Hypernyms (to "excuse" is one way to...):

defend; fend for; support (argue or speak in defense of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "excuse"):

color; colour; gloss (give a deceptive explanation or excuse for)

plead (offer as an excuse or plea)

extenuate; mitigate; palliate (lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

excusatory (offering or expressing apology)

excuse (a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Ask for permission to be released from an engagement

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

beg off; excuse

Hypernyms (to "excuse" is one way to...):

ask for; bespeak; call for; quest; request (express the need or desire for)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

excuse (a note explaining an absence)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

condone; excuse

Context example:

She condoned her husband's occasional infidelities

Hypernyms (to "excuse" is one way to...):

forgive (stop blaming or grant forgiveness)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

excuse (a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.)

excuser (a person who pardons or forgives or excuses a fault or offense)

 Context examples 

Again Catherine excused herself; and at last he walked off to quiz his sisters by himself.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

But you'll excuse me if I say, sir, that there are neither slaves nor slave-drivers in this country, and that people are not allowed to take the law into their own hands.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Certainly; and if he is lazy or negligent, I will write his excuses myself.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

She was not sorry for the excuse.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

The reader will excuse me if I conceal the date or any other fact by which he might trace the actual occurrence.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“You will excuse this mask,” continued our strange visitor.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

‘You will excuse my coming in, doctor,’ said he to me, speaking English with a slight lisp.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Excuse me, miss, for buttin' in that way.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

You will, I trust, excuse me that I do not join you; but I have dined already, and I do not sup.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

His excuse for being aboard was that he was drunk when he signed.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)