Library / English Dictionary

EXCUSE

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A poor example

Example:

a poor excuse for an automobile

Synonyms:

apology; excuse

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

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

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

Sense 2

Meaning:

A note explaining an absence

Example:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

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

Example:

his transparent self-justification was unacceptable

Synonyms:

alibi; exculpation; excuse; self-justification

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

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)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

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

Example:

She condoned her husband's occasional infidelities

Synonyms:

condone; excuse

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

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)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Serve as a reason or cause or justification of

Example:

Her recent divorce may explain her reluctance to date again

Synonyms:

excuse; explain

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

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 3

Meaning:

Grant exemption or release to

Example:

Please excuse me from this class

Synonyms:

excuse; exempt; let off; relieve

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

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 4

Meaning:

Ask for permission to be released from an engagement

Synonyms:

beg off; excuse

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

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 5

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 "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 6

Meaning:

Accept an excuse for

Example:

Please excuse my dirty hands

Synonyms:

excuse; pardon

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

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.)

Credits

 Context examples: 

You will excuse her not coming to you—she is not able—she is gone into her own room—I want her to lie down upon the bed.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

When I was presented to him, he gave me a close embrace, a compliment I could well have excused.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

"And what a scream! If she had been in great pain one would have excused it, but she only wanted to bring us all here: I know her naughty tricks."

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Excuse the remark, but living among boys, I can't help using their expressions now and then.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

You will excuse the frankness of this report, will you not, sir?

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

His pride, said Miss Lucas, does not offend me so much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Do not think yourself excused by any weakness, any natural defect of understanding on her side, in the wanton cruelty so evident on yours.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

It is but poor fare that I can lay before you—milk, cheese, wine, and bacon—yet your squire and yourself will doubtless excuse it.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But I will tell you the whole queer business, and when I have done so you will admit, I am sure, that there has been enough to excuse me.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

You will excuse me, young sir, said he, in the suavest, most soothing of voices, but am I right in supposing that this is the house of Lieutenant Stone?

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)