excuse

/ɪkˈskjuːz/ verb [T]

Definition

FORGIVE › to forgive someone for something that is not very serious: Please excuse my appearance, I've been painting. [+ for + doing sth] She asked him to excuse her for being so rude.

NOT DO › to say that someone does not have to do something that they usually have to do: Could I be excused from football training today?

EXPLAIN › to be given as a reason for someone's bad behaviour, so that it does not seem so bad: Nothing can excuse what he did.

excuse me › used to politely get someone's attention: Excuse me, does this bus go to Oxford Street? › used to say sorry for something that you do without intending to: Oh, excuse me, did I take your seat?

excusable adjective

(Definition of excuse verb from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)