ex·cuse /ɪkˈskjuz, ||ˈskjuz/
 (vt.)原諒,寬恕;免除;為…辯解,成為…的理由藉口,辯解;原諒,饒恕


 Ex·cuse v. t. [imp. & p. p. Excused p. pr. & vb. n. Excusing.]
 1. To free from accusation, or the imputation of fault or blame; to clear from guilt; to release from a charge; to justify by extenuating a fault; to exculpate; to absolve; to acquit.
    A man's persuasion that a thing is duty, will not excuse him from guilt in practicing it, if really and indeed it be against Gog's law.   --Abp. Sharp.
 2. To pardon, as a fault; to forgive entirely, or to admit to be little censurable, and to overlook; as, we excuse irregular conduct, when extraordinary circumstances appear to justify it.
    I must excuse what can not be amended.   --Shak.
 3. To regard with indulgence; to view leniently or to overlook; to pardon.
 And in our own (excuse some courtly stains.)
 No whiter page than Addison remains.   --Pope.
 4. To free from an impending obligation or duty; hence, to disengage; to dispense with; to release by favor; also, to remit by favor; not to exact; as, to excuse a forfeiture.
    I pray thee have me excused.   --xiv. 19.
 5. To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or indulgence for.
    Think ye that we excuse ourselves to you?   --2 Cor. xii. 19.
 Syn: -- To vindicate; exculpate; absolve; acquit.
 Usage: - To Pardon, Excuse, Forgive. A superior pardons as an act of mercy or generosity; either a superior or an equal excuses. A crime, great fault, or a grave offence, as one against law or morals, may be pardoned; a small fault, such as a failure in social or conventional obligations, slight omissions or neglects may be excused. Forgive relates to offenses against one's self, and punishment foregone; as, to forgive injuries or one who has injured us; to pardon grave offenses, crimes, and criminals; to excuse an act of forgetfulness, an unintentional offense. Pardon is also a word of courtesy employed in the sense of excuse.


 Ex·cuse n.
 1. The act of excusing, apologizing, exculpating, pardoning, releasing, and the like; acquittal; release; absolution; justification; extenuation.
    Pleading so wisely in excuse of it.   --Shak.
 2. That which is offered as a reason for being excused; a plea offered in extenuation of a fault or irregular deportment; apology; as, an excuse for neglect of duty; excuses for delay of payment.
    Hence with denial vain and coy excuse.   --Milton.
 3. That which excuses; that which extenuates or justifies a fault. “It hath the excuse of youth.”
 If eyes were made for seeing.
 Then beauty is its own excuse for being.   --Emerson.
 Syn: -- See Apology.

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 excuse
      n 1: a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep
           a promise etc.; "he kept finding excuses to stay";
           "every day he had a new alibi for not getting a job";
           "his transparent self-justification was unacceptable"
           [syn: alibi, exculpation, self-justification]
      2: a note explaining an absence; "he had to get his mother to
         write an excuse for him"
      3: a poor example; "it was an apology for a meal"; "a poor
         excuse for an automobile" [syn: apology]
      v 1: accept an excuse for; "Please excuse my dirty hands" [syn: pardon]
      2: grant exemption or release to; "Please excuse me from this
         class" [syn: relieve, let off, exempt]
      3: serve as a reason or cause or justification of; "Your need
         to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work";
         "Her recent divorce amy explain her reluctance to date
         again" [syn: explain]
      4: defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by
         reasoning; "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy
         behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success" [syn: apologize,
          apologise, justify, rationalize, rationalise]
      5: ask for permission to be released from an engagement [syn: {beg
         off]
      6: excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with;
         "excuse someone's behavior"; "She condoned her husband's
         occasional infidelities" [syn: condone]