excuse

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a note explaining an absence

   I had to get my parents to write an excuse for me.

2. 2
   noun

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

   I kept finding excuses to stay.

3. 3
   verb

   serve as a reason or cause or justification of

   Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work

4. 4
   verb

   grant exemption or release to

   Please excuse me from this class

5. 5
   verb

   accept an excuse for

   Please excuse my dirty hands

6. 6
   verb

   To forgive; to pardon; to overlook.

   I excused him his transgressions.

7. 7
   verb

   To allow to leave, or release from any obligation.

   May I be excused from the table?

8. 8
   verb

   To provide an excuse for; to justify.

   You know he shouldn't have done it, so don't try to excuse his behavior!

Etymology

From Middle English excusen (verb) and excuse (noun), borrowed from Old French escuser (verb) and excuse (noun), from Latin excūsō, excūsāre (“to excuse, allege in excuse, literally, free from a charge”), from ex (“out”) + causa (“a charge”); see cause, accuse and recuse. Displaced native Old English lād (“an excuse”) and lādian (“to excuse”).