excuse

bad excuse is better than none

Prov. If you offer some explanation for an unwanted action, there is a slight chance that it will be accepted and you will therefore not be in trouble, but if you have no explanation at all, you do not even have that slight chance. Fred: I can't believe we played cards till midnight! What will I tell my wife when she asks why I'm so late getting home? Bill: Tell her something came up at the office. Fred: But that's a lousy excuse. She'll never believe it. Bill: A bad excuse is better than none.

See also: bad, better, none

Could I be excused?

Would you give me permission to leave?; Would you give me permission to leave the table? (Also used with can or may in place of could.) Bill: I'm finished, Mom. Could I be excused? Mother: Yes, of course, when you use good manners like that.

See also: could

Could you excuse us, please? and Can you excuse us, please?; Would you excuse us, please?; Will you excuse us, please?

We must leave. I hope you will forgive us. (A polite way of announcing a departure.) Bill: Could you excuse us, please? We simply must rush off. Alice: So sorry you have to go. Come back when you can stay longer.

See also: could

excuse someone 

1. . to forgive someone. (Usually with me. Said when interrupting or when some other minor offense has been committed. There are many mannerly uses of this expression.) John came in late and said, "Excuse me, please." John said "excuse me" when he interrupted our conversation. When John made a strange noise at the table, he said quietly, "Excuse me." John suddenly left the room saying, "Excuse me. I'll be right back."

2. to permit someone to leave; to permit someone to remain away from an event. The coach excused John from practice yesterday. The teacher excused John, and he ran quickly from the room.

excuse someone for something

to pardon someone for something or for (doing) something. Please excuse me for this mess. I've not been able to clean the house. I can't excuse myself for not doing it.

excuse someone from something

to permit a person not to do something; to exempt someone from something. Please excuse me from attending the meeting. I must excuse myself from the discussion.

Excuse me. and Excuse, please.; Pardon (me).; 'Scusc (me).; 'Scusc, please. 

1. an expression asking forgiveness for some minor social violation, such as belching or bumping into someone. ('Scuse is colloquial, and the apostrophe is not always used.) John: Ouch! Bob: Excuse me. I didn't see you there. Mary: Oh! Ow! Sue: Pardon me. I didn't mean to bump into you. Tom: Ouch! Mary: Oh, dear! What happened? Tom: You stepped on my toe. Mary: Excuse me. I'm sorry.

2. Please let me through.; Please let me by. Tom: Excuse me. I need to get past. Bob: Oh, sorry. I didn't know I was in the way. Mary: Pardon me. Sue: What? Mary: Pardon me. I want to get past you.

He who excuses himself accuses himself.

Prov. By apologizing for something, you admit that you did it. Maybe I should tell my boss I'm sorry for breaking the copy machine. On the other hand, he who excuses himself accuses himself.

See also: accuse, himself, who

Ignorance (of the law) is no excuse (for breaking it).

Prov. Even if you do not know that something is against the law, you can still be punished for doing it. (An ancient legal principle.) Police officer: I'm giving you a speeding ticket. Motorist: But I didn't know I was exceeding the speed limit! Police officer: Ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it. Terry protested that he didn't know it was illegal to break the windows of an abandoned building, but the judge informed him that ignorance of the law was no excuse.

See also: ignorance

May I be excused?

May I leave this place, please?; May I leave to use the toilet? Nature calls. May I be excused? The student raised her hand and said, "Teacher, may I be excused?"

See also: may

Pardon my French, and Excuse my French.

Inf. Excuse my use of swear words or taboo words. (Does not refer to real French.) Pardon my French, but this is a hell of a day. What she needs is a kick in the ass, if you'll excuse my French.

See also: french, pardon

use someone or something as an excuse

to blame someone or something (for a failure). (See also use someone or something as something.) John used his old car as an excuse for not going to the meeting. My husband was sick in bed, and I used him as an excuse.

See also: use

Would you excuse me? 

1. a polite question that essentially announces one's departure. (Compare this with Could I be excused?; Excuse me.) Jane: Would you excuse me? I have to get home now. Andy: Oh, sure. I'll see you to the door. Rising to leave, Jane said, "Would you excuse me?" and left by the rear door.

2. . a polite way to request passage through or by a group of people; a way to request space to exit an elevator. There were two people talking in the corridor, blocking it. Tom said, "Would you excuse me?" They stepped aside. Fred: Would you excuse me? This is my floor. Sally: Sure. It's mine, too.

You're excused. 

1. You may leave the room, the table, etc. (Said in response to May I be excused?) Mother: Are you finished, Tom? Tom: Yes, ma'am. Mother: You're excused. Bill (raising his hand): Can I leave the room? I have to go get my books off my bike. Teacher: You're excused. Bill: Thanks.

2. You must leave the room or the premises. (Typically said at the end of a scolding.) Father: I've heard quite enough of this nonsense, Tom. You're excused. Tom: Sorry. Andy: That is the end of this conversation. You're excused. Bob: But, there's more.

3. You are forgiven for belching or for some other breach of strict etiquette. (Said in response to Excuse me.) Tom (after belching): Excuse me. Father: You're excused. Sally: Excuse me for being so noisy. Mother: You're excused.

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excuse me (spoken)

1. I am sorry to interrupt you Oh, excuse me, I didn't know you were busy.

2. that was not what I intended to say or do As a kid growing up, my family grew strawberries, excuse me, grew tomatoes.

3. I did not hear you Which office do you work in? Excuse me?

Related vocabulary: pardon me