Webster's English Dictionary

Enter the word to look up:

excuse

Cross references:
  1. apology               
 
1. ex.cuse \ik-'skyu:z\ vt [ME excusen, fr. OF excuser, fr. L excusare, fr. 
   ex- +]causa cause, explanation 1a: to make apology for  1b: to try to 
   remove blame from  2: to accept an excuse for : PARDON  3: to grant 
   exemption or release to {the class was excused}  4: to serve as excuse for 
   : JUSTIFY assing over of a fault, omission, or failure without censure or 
   due punishment in view of extenuating circumstances; CONDONE suggests an 
   accepting without protest or censure some reprehensible act or condition; 
   PARDON implies the freeing from the penalty due for admitted or proved 
   offense; FORGIVE implies the giving up not only of any claim to requital or 
   retribution but also of any resentment or desire for revenge - ex.cus.er n 
   SYN syn CONDONE, PARDON, FORGIVE: EXCUSE implies a p 
2. ex.cuse \ik-'skyu:s\ n 1: the act of excusing  2a: something offered as 
   grounds for being excused  pl  2b: an expression of regret for failure to 
   do something  2c: a note of explanation of an absence  3: JUSTIFICATION, 
   REASON