Quick definitions from Macmillan ( )

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Quick definitions from WordNet (excuse)

▸ noun:  a note explaining an absence ("He had to get his mother to write an excuse for him")
▸ noun:  a defense of some offensive behavior or some failure to keep a promise etc. ("He kept finding excuses to stay")
▸ noun:  a poor example ("A poor excuse for an automobile")
▸ verb:  excuse, overlook, or make allowances for; be lenient with ("Excuse someone's behavior")
▸ verb:  serve as a reason or cause or justification of ("Your need to sleep late does not excuse your late arrival at work")
▸ verb:  grant exemption or release to ("Please excuse me from this class")
▸ verb:  ask for permission to be released from an engagement
▸ verb:  accept an excuse for ("Please excuse my dirty hands")
▸ verb:  defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning

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▸ Word origin