excuse
verb [T] /ɪkˈskjuːz/Definition
B1 to forgive someone: Please excuse me for arriving late - the bus was delayed. Nothing can excuse that sort of behaviour. No amount of financial recompense can excuse the way in which the company carried out its policy. We cannot excuse him for these crimes. I asked the teacher if I could be excused from (= allowed not to do) football practice as my knee still hurt. Please excuse me from (= allow me to miss) the rest of the meeting - I've just received a phone call that requires my immediate attention.Making and accepting apologies excuse me A1 a polite way of attracting someone's attention, especially of someone you do not know: Excuse me, does this bus go to Oxford Street?Polite expressions › used to politely ask someone to move so that you can walk past them: Excuse me, can I just get past?Polite expressions › used to tell someone politely that you are leaving: Excuse me a moment, I'll be with you shortly.Polite expressions A2 used to say sorry for something you have done by accident: Did I take your seat? Do excuse me.Making and accepting apologies › said before disagreeing with someone: Excuse me but aren't you forgetting something?Polite expressions › US (UK pardon?, I beg your pardon?) used to politely ask someone to repeat something they have said because you have not heard itMaking and accepting apologies
(Definition of excuse verb from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus
© Cambridge University Press)
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More Results for “excuse”
SMART Thesaurus
Synonyms and related words:
- absolution noun
- afraid adjective (SORRY)
- apologetic adjective
- apologize verb
- atone for sth phrasal verb
- cut sb some slack idiom
- excuse noun
- excuse/pardon my French! idiom
- expiate verb
- forge ahead phrasal verb
- forgive verb
- forgiving adjective
- if you'll pardon the expression idiom
- mend your fences idiom
- overlook verb (FORGIVE)
- pardon (me) idiom
- pardonable adjective
- recompense noun
- reconcile verb
- take sb back phrasal verb (PARTNER)
Topic:
Making & accepting apologies
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