EXCU'SE, v.t. s as z. [L. excuso; ex and causor, to blame. See Cause.]

1. A plea offered in extenuation of a fault or irregular deportment; apology. Every man has an excuse to offer for his neglect of duty; the debtor makes excuses for delay of payment.
2. The act of excusing or apologizing.
3. That which excuses; that which extenuates or justifies a fault. His inability to comply with the request must be his excuse.

1. To pardon; to free from the imputation of fault or blame; to acquit of guilt. We excuse a person in our own minds, when we acquit him of guilt or blame; or we excuse him by a declaration of that acquittal.
2. To pardon, as a fault; to forgive entirely, or to admit to be little censurable, and to overlook. We excuse a fault which admits of apology or extenuation; and we excuse irregular conduct, when extraordinary circumstances appear to justify it.
3. To free from an obligation or duty. I pray thee have me excused. Luke xiv.
4. To remit; not to exact; as, to excuse a forfeiture. Johnson.
5. To pardon; to admit an apology for. Excuse some courtly strains. Pope.
6. To throw off an imputation by apology. Think you that we excuse ourselves to you? 2 Cor. xii.
7. To justify; to vindicate. Their thoughts accusing or else excusing one another. Rom. ii.

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. Abp. Sharp.

2. The act of excusing, apologizing, exculpating, pardoning, releasing, and the like; acquittal; release; absolution; justification; extenuation.
   
   

   Pleading so wisely in excuse of it. Shak.

3. 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. Shak.

4. 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. Milton.

5. 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. Pope.

6. That which excuses; that which extenuates or justifies a fault.
   
   
   "It hath the excuse of youth." Shak.

   If eyes were made for seeing.
   Then beauty is its own excuse for being. Emerson.

   Syn. -- See Apology.

7. 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. xiv. 19.

8. 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? 2 Cor. xii. 19.

   Syn. -- To vindicate; exculpate; absolve; acquit. - To Pardon, Excuse, Forgive. A superior pardons as an act of mercy or generosity; either a superior or an equal excuses. A crime, great fault, or a grave offence, as one against law or morals, may be pardoned; a small fault, such as a failure in social or conventional obligations, slight omissions or neglects may be excused. Forgive relates to offenses against one's self, and punishment foregone; as, to forgive injuries or one who has injured us; to pardon grave offenses, crimes, and criminals; to excuse an act of forgetfulness, an unintentional offense. Pardon is also a word of courtesy employed in the sense of excuse.