Library / English Dictionary

APOLOGISE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Acknowledge faults or shortcomings or failing

Example:

He apologized for the many typoes

Synonyms:

apologise; apologize

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

"Apologise" entails doing...:

acknowledge; admit (declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Somebody ----s to somebody

Derivation:

apology (an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone)

Sense 2

Meaning:

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

Example:

he rationalized his lack of success

Synonyms:

apologise; apologize; excuse; rationalise; rationalize

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

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

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

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

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:

apology (an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone)

apology (a formal written defense of something you believe in strongly)

Credits

 Context examples: 

“I must apologise for calling so late,” said he, “and I must further beg you to be so unconventional as to allow me to leave your house presently by scrambling over your back garden wall.”

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

When he saw me, he came over and apologised for his bad conduct, and asked me in a very humble, cringing way to be led back to his own room and to have his note-book again.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Still farther in confirmation of her hopes, in the interval of Marianne's turning from one lesson to another, some words of the Colonel's inevitably reached her ear, in which he seemed to be apologising for the badness of his house.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

It was made a great favour of; and altogether it was more than I could bear; and so I never would finish it, to have it apologised over as an unfavourable likeness, to every morning visitor in Brunswick Square;—and, as I said, I did then forswear ever drawing any body again.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Oh, my dear Lizzy! pray apologise for my having disliked him so much before.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Aye, aye, the parsonage is but a small one, said she, after the first ebullition of surprise and satisfaction was over, and very likely MAY be out of repair; but to hear a man apologising, as I thought, for a house that to my knowledge has five sitting rooms on the ground-floor, and I think the housekeeper told me could make up fifteen beds!—and to you too, that had been used to live in Barton cottage!

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

I was reading it to Mrs. Cole, and since she went away, I was reading it again to my mother, for it is such a pleasure to her—a letter from Jane—that she can never hear it often enough; so I knew it could not be far off, and here it is, only just under my huswife—and since you are so kind as to wish to hear what she says;—but, first of all, I really must, in justice to Jane, apologise for her writing so short a letter—only two pages you see—hardly two—and in general she fills the whole paper and crosses half.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Mr. Collins was employed in agreeing to everything her ladyship said, thanking her for every fish he won, and apologising if he thought he won too many.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

And what can he mean by apologising for being next in the entail?

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

In a softened tone she declared herself not at all offended; but he continued to apologise for about a quarter of an hour.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)