excuse

excuse

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Pronunciation

The IPA phonetic spelling for "excuse" is /ɪkˈskjuːs/.

Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:

• ex- /ɪk/

• -cuse /skjuːs/

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Word Form Variations

• Singular Noun: excuse

• Plural Noun: excuses

• Verb (base form): excuse

• Verb (third person singular present): excuses

• Verb (present participle): excusing

• Verb (past tense/past participle): excused

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Noun

1. A reason or explanation offered to justify an act, behavior, or failure.

• Definition: Something put forward to lessen blame or to provide an explanation for why something happened, often implying a desire to avoid responsibility.

• Synonyms: justification, alibi, pretext, explanation, plea, defense, reason

• Antonyms: accusation, charge, condemnation, fault, blame

2. A substandard example or poor rendition of something.

• Definition: An instance where something falls significantly short of expectations or a proper standard, often used informally to express disapproval or disappointment.

• Synonyms: travesty, parody, sham, mockery, caricature, disgrace

• Antonyms: exemplar, model, paragon, standard, ideal

Verb

1. To forgive or overlook an offense, mistake, or fault.

• Definition: To pardon someone for a minor wrongdoing, or to accept a reason for something that might otherwise be considered inappropriate.

• Synonyms: pardon, forgive, absolve, condone, overlook, disregard

• Antonyms: blame, condemn, criticize, punish, hold accountable, fault

2. To release someone from an obligation, duty, or task.

• Definition: To grant permission for someone not to do something they were expected or required to do.

• Synonyms: release, exempt, dismiss, relieve, free, discharge

• Antonyms: oblige, require, compel, force, hold, burden

3. To attempt to justify or explain a fault or offense.

• Definition: To offer reasons or explanations for one's own or another's actions, often in an effort to mitigate negative consequences or perceptions.

• Synonyms: justify, explain, defend, vindicate, rationalize, make amends (for)

• Antonyms: admit, confess, acknowledge, take responsibility, apologize

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Examples of Use

Books:

• "He had no excuse for being late, as he had woken up with plenty of time." (Example based on common narrative structures in fiction, e.g., To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee often explores themes of justification and innocence, although this specific sentence is illustrative.)

• "The protagonist's elaborate excuses for her frequent disappearances began to wear thin with her friends." (Illustrative of character development in novels, similar to how characters might behave in a thriller or mystery, e.g., The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins features characters with hidden motives and explanations.)

Newspapers:

• "The city council offered no excuse for the sudden increase in property taxes, citing only 'unforeseen economic factors.'" (Headline or lead sentence from a news article, e.g., a local newspaper like The Boston Globe or The Los Angeles Times reporting on municipal decisions.)

• "The athlete's coach refused to excuse his poor performance, stating that he needed to train harder." (Sports section of a newspaper, similar to reporting in The New York Times Sports or The Wall Street Journal Sports.)

Online Publications:

• "In a widely shared opinion piece, the author argued that historical context should not be used as an excuse for contemporary injustices." (Op-ed or commentary piece on a platform like The Atlantic, Slate, or Medium.)

• "Many users on social media offered various excuses for why they hadn't completed the viral challenge." (Article on a digital culture website like Mashable or BuzzFeed analyzing online trends.)

Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:

• Television Series: "Please excuse the mess; we weren't expecting company." (Common dialogue in a sitcom or drama, e.g., Friends, The Office, or This Is Us.)

• Film: "He tried to make an excuse for missing his daughter's recital, but she saw right through him." (Dialogue or narrative description in a screenplay, often seen in family dramas or romantic comedies, e.g., Knocked Up or Manchester by the Sea.)

• Podcast: "The host discussed how companies often use data breaches as an excuse to implement stricter privacy policies." (Discussion on a current affairs or technology podcast, such as The Daily by The New York Times or Reply All by Gimlet Media.)

• Video Game: "You have no excuse for failing this mission, soldier!" (Dialogue from a non-player character in a military-themed video game, e.g., Call of Duty or Halo.)

General Public Discourse:

• "Sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you. Excuse me." (Everyday polite apology when accidentally bumping into someone.)

• "That's no excuse for treating people badly, no matter what you're going through." (Common expression used in personal conversations when condemning someone's behavior.)

• "Can I be excused from the meeting early today? I have a prior engagement." (A common request made in a professional or academic setting.)

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10 Famous Quotes Using Excuse

1. "The best excuse for a bad job is a good one." (Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanack)

2. "He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else." (Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanack)

3. "No one wants to hear your excuses. Just produce results." (Unknown, widely attributed to various business leaders)

4. "Don't make excuses, make improvements." (Tyra Banks)

5. "A bad excuse is worse than none." (Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia)

6. "Never excuse me for being late; for I am always on time, according to my own schedule." (Unknown, a humorous take on personal punctuality)

7. "We are all failures – at least the best of us are. You can only excuse yourself from that if you don't take risks." (Alain de Botton)

8. "Poverty is no excuse for bad manners." (Benjamin Disraeli)

9. "You can have results or excuses. Not both." (Arnold Schwarzenegger)

10. "Please excuse my dear Aunt Sally." (Mnemonic for order of operations in mathematics: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction)

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Etymology

The word "excuse" has a really interesting journey through languages!

It comes to us from Latin, specifically the word "excusare." This Latin word was made up of two parts:

• "ex-" meaning "out" or "away from"

• "causa" meaning "accusation" or "legal action."

So, literally, "excusare" meant something like "to release from a charge" or "to get out of an accusation." Think of it as being let off the hook in a legal sense.

From Latin, it traveled into Old French as "escuser" (later "excuser" in Modern French) around the 12th century. This French version kept the meaning of "apologize, make excuses; pardon, exonerate."

The first known use of "excuse" in English appeared in the Middle English period (around the mid-13th century). At this time, it was used as a verb with the meaning of "to try to clear someone from blame" or "to find excuses for someone." It was about trying to defend someone or explain away their actions.

So, the very first meaning was about removing blame or justifying actions, much like its Latin root. Over time, the meaning expanded to include forgiving, overlooking, or granting release from duties, and also the noun form we use today for a reason offered to explain something.

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Excuse

1. Excuse me: A polite way to get someone's attention, ask to pass, or apologize.

2. Make excuses: To offer reasons (often insincere) to justify one's actions or failures.

3. No excuse for: There is absolutely no justification for something.

4. Excuse oneself: To ask permission to leave, or to offer a reason for one's actions.

5. An excuse to: A pretext or reason for doing something, often something one wants to do anyway.

6. Find an excuse: To seek or invent a reason, often to avoid doing something.

7. Beg to be excused: A formal or polite way to ask for permission to leave or be released from a duty.

8. Poor excuse for (something): A very bad or inadequate example of something.

9. That's your excuse: A sarcastic retort implying someone's reason is weak or unbelievable.

10. Excuse my French: An informal apology for using profanity or vulgar language.

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of excuse from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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