excuse

CEFRA2

/ɪkˈskjuːz/

noun · verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A reason given to explain or forgive a fault.

  2. 02

    verb

    To forgive someone or allow them to leave.

Examples

  • Excuse me; allow me to point out three errors in the above article.

  • Late again! What's your excuse this time?

At a glance

Sits at A2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /ɛksˈkjuːs/
  • /ɛksˈkjuːz/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. To allow to leave, or release from any obligation.

  2. To provide an excuse for; to justify.

verb

Extra meaning

  1. To forgive; to pardon; to overlook.

More examples

In context

  • You'll have to manufacture some kind of excuse.

  • I excused myself from the proceedings to think over what I'd heard.

  • May I be excused from the table?

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

Please blank my interruption, but I have an urgent message.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

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”).