Excuse
Excuse , transitive verb
[Old English escusen, cusen, Old French escuser, excuser, French excuser, from Latin excusare; ex out + causa cause, causari to plead. See Cause.]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
Excuse , noun
[Compare French excuse. See Excuse, transitive verb]
1.
The act of excusing, apologizing, exculpating, pardoning, releasing, and the like; acquittal; release; absolution; justification; extenuation.
Pleading so wisely in excuse of it.
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.
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.