excuse
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun1 reason givenADJECTIVE▪ perfect, wonderful▪ excellent, good, great, legitimate, valid▪ convincing, decent, plausible, reasonable▪ acceptable▪
an acceptable excuse for missing school
▪ bad, feeble, flimsy, lame, lousy (esp. AmE), pathetic, poor, weak (esp. AmE)▪ convenient, easy, handy▪The children provided a convenient excuse for missing the party.
▪ dumb (AmE), ridiculous, stupid▪He made up some stupid excuse to the teachers.
▪ standard, usual▪ built-in (AmE)▪a built-in excuse for failure
▪ possible▪What possible excuse could he have?
▪ every▪She seized on every excuse to avoid doing the work.
▪ the slightest▪He became moody and unreasonable, flailing out at Katherine at the slightest excuse.
VERB + EXCUSE▪ have▪He had no excuse for being so late.
▪ give, make, offer▪She made some feeble excuse about the car having broken down.
▪You don't have to make excuses for her (= try to think of reasons for her actions).
▪It's late. I'm afraid I'll have to make my excuses (= say I'm sorry, give my reasons and leave).
▪ give sb, offer sb, provide (sb with)▪Delivering the stuff for George gave me an excuse to take the car.
▪Her mother's illness provided her with an excuse to stay at home.
▪ need▪ look for▪ create, find, invent, make up, think of, think up▪She had to find a valid excuse for leaving the room.
▪He made up a rather lame excuse for the work being late.
▪ use sth as▪The political crisis is being used as an excuse to dock people's pay.
▪ run out of▪He's run out of excuses for not cleaning his room.
▪ become▪Don't let perfectionism become an excuse for never getting started.
▪ mumble▪Justin mumbled some excuse and left.
▪ accept, believe, buy (informal, esp. AmE)▪ hear▪I don't want to hear any more excuses.
▪ rejectPREPOSITION▪ excuse about▪He invented a pathetic excuse about losing his watch.
▪ excuse for▪It's just an excuse for a party.
PHRASES▪ there is no excuse for …▪There's no excuse for such conduct.
2 bad example of sthADJECTIVE▪ lousy (esp. AmE), miserable, pathetic, pitiful, poor, sad, sorry (esp. AmE)▪She's a pitiful excuse for an actress.
▪a sorry excuse for a man
PREPOSITION▪ excuse for▪{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}Why get involved with that pathetic excuse for a human being?
verb
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
Look at other dictionaries:
excuse — [ ɛkskyz ] n. f. • fin XIVe; de excuser 1 ♦ Raison alléguée pour se défendre d une accusation, d un reproche, pour expliquer ou atténuer une faute. ⇒ 1. défense, explication, justification, motif, raison. Alléguer, donner, fournir une bonne… … Encyclopédie Universelle
excuse — ex·cuse 1 /ik skyüz/ vb ex·cused, ex·cus·ing vt 1: to grant exemption or release to excused the prospective juror excused the witness after an hour of testimony 2 … Law dictionary
excuse me — An expression used as an apology for any slight or apparent impropriety, esp as a request to pass, leave, interrupt or catch someone s attention or for contradicting a statement that has been made, or (US) when correcting oneself • • • Main Entry … Useful english dictionary
excuse — Excuse. subst. fem. v. Raison que l on apporte pour s excuser. Excuse legitime, bonne, recevable, valable. excuse impertinente, legere, sotte, mauvaise excuse. donner, apporter, alleguer une excuse. mediter, forger une excuse, des excuses. il a… … Dictionnaire de l'Académie française
Excuse — Ex*cuse , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Excused}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Excusing}.] [OE. escusen, cusen, OF. escuser, excuser, F. excuser, fr. L. excusare; ex out + causa cause, causari to plead. See {Cause}.] 1. To free from accusation, or the imputation of… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Excuse — Ex*cuse , n. [Cf. F. excuse. See {Excuse}, v. t.] 1. The act of excusing, apologizing, exculpating, pardoning, releasing, and the like; acquittal; release; absolution; justification; extenuation. [1913 Webster] Pleading so wisely in excuse of it … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Excuse Me Mr. — Excuse Me Mr. Saltar a navegación, búsqueda «Excuse Me Mr.» Sencillo de No Doubt del álbum Tragic kingdom Publicación 1996 (América) Formato CD Single … Wikipedia Español
excuse — vb Excuse, condone, pardon, forgive, remit are comparable when meaning not to exact punishment or redress for (an offense) or from (an offender). In polite use excuse, pardon, and forgive usually suggest a hope that one is not annoyed. Both… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
excuse — [ek skyo͞oz′, ikskyo͞oz′; ] for n. [, ekskyo͞os′] vt. excused, excusing [ME excusen < OFr escuser & L excusare, to free from a charge < L ex , from + causa, a charge: see CAUSE] 1. to try to free (a person) of blame; seek to exonerate 2. to … English World dictionary
excuse — ► VERB 1) seek or serve to justify (a fault or offence). 2) release from a duty or requirement. 3) forgive (a fault or a person committing one). 4) (used in polite formulas) allow (someone) to leave a room or gathering. 5) (excuse oneself) say… … English terms dictionary
excuse-me — or excuse me dance noun A dance during which one may change partners • • • Main Entry: ↑excuse … Useful english dictionary
