excuse

n. a reason you give to explain why you did something wrong or why you could not do something.

n. an explanation offered to alleviate guilt, justify a fault, or explain a failure to perform a duty.

“He made up a clever excuse for why his homework was late.”

“The employee provided a medical excuse for her week-long absence, though the manager remained skeptical of its authenticity.”

n. a reason in law why someone should not be punished, even if they did the act.

n. a legal defense where the defendant admits the actus reus but claims special circumstances negate their moral culpability.

“The lawyer argued that the defendant had a valid excuse because he was acting under pressure.”

“In criminal law, an excuse differs from a justification in that the act is still considered wrong, but the actor is not held personally blameworthy.”

Technical

n. a very bad or poor example of something.

n. an inferior or substandard example of a particular thing; often used with 'poor' or 'pathetic'.

“That old, rusty bike is a poor excuse for a vehicle.”

“The critics dismissed the film as a pathetic excuse for a thriller, citing its predictable plot and wooden acting.”

Informal

v. to forgive someone for a small mistake or for being rude.

v. to pardon or overlook a minor fault or social transgression.

“Please excuse my mess; I haven't had time to clean the kitchen today.”

“The host was kind enough to excuse his guest's late arrival, given the unprecedented traffic delays in the city centre.”

v. to give someone permission to leave a room or a duty.

v. to grant someone permission to depart or to release them from a specific obligation.

“The teacher excused the student from class to go to the nurse.”

“The judge excused the juror from the trial after learning of a potential conflict of interest with the defendant.”

Formal