Excuse Meaning
/ɪkˈskjuːz/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo forgive; to pardon; to overlook.
verbTo allow to leave, or release from any obligation.
Sentence Examples
Excuse me; allow me to point out three errors in the above article.
You'll have to manufacture some kind of excuse.
Late again! What's your excuse this time?
CEFR Practice Quiz
Please ____ my interruption, but I have an urgent message.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The student tried to make an ____ for why his homework was three days late.
Word Origin & History
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”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Yet his Nature / In that’s no Changeling, and I muſt excuſe / What cannot be amended."
— c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii], page 25, column 1:
"If they say that he did sin in doing this, then they must at the same time acknowledge that a man's persuasion that a thing is a duty will not excuse him from guilt in practising it"
— c. 1685, John Sharp, A Discourse of Conscience:
"They cannot be excusyd
By reason nor by law; […]"
— c. 1503–1512, John Skelton, Ware the Hauke; republished in John Scattergood, editor, John Skelton: The Complete English Poems, 1983, →OCLC, page 62, lines 6–7:
"Agayne / thynke ye that we excuſe oure ſelves? we ſpeake in Chriſt in the ſight of God. But we do all thyngꝭ dearly beloved for youre edifyinge."
— 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, 2 Corinthians xij:[19], folio ccxlvj, verso:
"It were more meet that thou didst accuse thy self, and excusedst thy Brother."
— 1705, Thomas à Kempis (unknown translator), The Christian’s Pattern: or, A Treatise of the Imitation of Jesus Christ, London: T. C. Hansard, […], published 1831, page 54:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Please ____ my interruption, but I have an urgent message.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The student tried to make an ____ for why his homework was three days late.