excuse

ex|cuse1 [ ık`skjuz ] verb transitive **

1. ) to forgive someone for something bad they have done, especially something that is not very serious:

Please excuse my messy handwriting.

excuse someone for (doing) something: I hope you'll excuse us for leaving so early.

2. ) often passive to give someone permission to leave:

Now if you'll excuse us, we have to get going.

a ) to give someone permission not to do something that they usually have to do:

excuse someone from (doing) something: You're excused from doing the dishes tonight.

3. ) to provide a reason or explanation for something bad that someone has done, in order to make it seem less bad: JUSTIFY:

I know he's over 70, but that doesn't excuse his sexist attitudes.

excuse me SPOKEN

1. ) used for politely getting someone's attention:

Excuse me, do you know what time it is?

2. ) used for showing you are sorry for interrupting someone:

Excuse me, but there's a phone call for you.

3. ) AMERICAN used for asking someone to repeat something:

How old are you? Excuse me?

4. ) used for politely asking someone to move so that you can get past them

5. ) used for showing you are sorry because your body has made a rude noise

6. ) used for politely telling someone you are leaving:

Excuse me for a moment I have to make a phone call.

7. ) used for politely disagreeing with someone:

Excuse me, but I never said I'd pay for everything.

excuse the expression or excuse my French OFTEN HUMOROUS

used for saying you are sorry for saying something rude

excuse my ignorance

used for asking a question that someone might expect you to know the answer to

excuse yourself

to politely say that you are going to leave a place:

excuse yourself from: She excused herself from the table and went back to work.

excuse

ex|cuse 2 [ ık`skjus ] noun count **

1. ) a reason you give to explain why you have done something bad, or why you have not done something that you should have done:

a reasonable/valid/legitimate excuse

excuse for: What excuse did they give for the delay?

have an excuse: Joe was late, but as always he had an excuse.

make/give an excuse: He made some excuse about having a lot of work to do.

2. ) a reason for doing something that you want to do:

excuse for: Birthdays are always a good excuse for a party.

an excuse to do something: Emily was glad of an excuse to change the subject.

3. ) AMERICAN a note written by your parent or your doctor that explains why you have missed work or school:

You'll have to bring an excuse from your mother.

make your excuses

to say why you must leave a place:

Will made his excuses and went up to his room.

a pathetic/poor/sad excuse for something INFORMAL

something that is of very bad quality

there is no excuse for something

1. ) used for emphasizing that you think someone's behavior is very bad:

There's no excuse for her talking to you like that.

2. ) used for saying that someone should definitely do something:

She only lives five minutes away, so there's really no excuse for not visiting her.