excuse

1.

/ɛkˈskjus/

a defense of some offensive behavior

2.

/ɪkˈskjuz/

accept as a reason or cause or justification of

Other forms: excused; excuses; excusing

An excuse is an explanation for something that went wrong. When we give an excuse, we're trying to get someone to cut us some slack.

When you finish dinner and ask, "May I be excused?" you've used one of many meanings of this word. It’s generally a reason for behavior: A note from your parents saying you have a doctor’s appointment can excuse you from school for the day. If your dog is sick, he has an excuse for barfing in the house. But be careful — making excuses can get awfully close to whining.

Definitions of excuse (/ɛkˈskjus/)

1. noun

   a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc.
   “he kept finding excuses to stay”

   synonyms: alibi, exculpation, self-justification

   types:

   extenuation, mitigation

   a partial excuse to mitigate censure; an attempt to represent an offense as less serious than it appears by showing mitigating circumstances

   type of:

   defence, defense, vindication

   the justification for some act or belief
2. noun

   a note explaining an absence
   “he had to get his mother to write an excuse for him”

   type of:

   billet, line, note, short letter

   a short personal letter
3. noun

   a poor example
   “a poor excuse for an automobile”

   synonyms: apology

   type of:

   example, illustration, instance, representative

   an item of information that is typical of a class or group