Definition of excuse

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Definitions of 'excuse'

Wordnet

1. (noun) excuse, alibi, exculpation, self-justification
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"

2. (noun) excuse
a note explaining an absence
"he had to get his mother to write an excuse for him"

3. (verb) apology, excuse
a poor example
"it was an apology for a meal"; "a poor excuse for an automobile"

4. (verb) excuse, pardon
accept an excuse for
"Please excuse my dirty hands"

5. (verb) excuse, relieve, let off, exempt
grant exemption or release to
"Please excuse me from this class"

6. (verb) excuse, explain
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 may explain her reluctance to date again"

7. (verb) apologize, apologise, excuse, justify, rationalize, rationalise
defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning
"rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success"

8. (verb) excuse, beg off
ask for permission to be released from an engagement

9. (verb) excuse, condone
excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with
"excuse someone's behavior"; "She condoned her husband's occasional infidelities"

Definitions of 'excuse'

Webster 1913 Dictionary

1. (verb) excuse
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

2. (verb) excuse
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

3. (verb) excuse
to regard with indulgence; to view leniently or to overlook; to pardon

4. (verb) excuse
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

5. (verb) excuse
to relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or indulgence for

6. (verb) excuse
the act of excusing, apologizing, exculpating, pardoning, releasing, and the like; acquittal; release; absolution; justification; extenuation

7. (verb) excuse
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

8. (verb) excuse
that which excuses; that which extenuates or justifies a fault

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'excuse' - Nearby Entries
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"excuse." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2010. 9 February. 2010. http://www.definitions.net/definition/excuse

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