excuse

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

v. t. pardon, remit, overlook, condone, forgive, extenuate, justify; exonerate, absolve, acquit, exempt, free, apologize. See vindication, exemption, forgiveness.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

1. [An explanation]

Syn. apology, reason, defense; see explanation 2 , justification .

2. [A pretended reason]

Syn. pretext, subterfuge, trick; see pretense 1 , 2 .

• a poor excuse for,

Syn. makeshift, sorry specimen, inferior example, mediocrity; see substitute .

• make one's excuses,

Syn. send regrets, beg off, apologize, offer an explanation; see apologize , refuse .

v.

Syn. pardon, forgive, justify, discharge, vindicate, apologize for, release, free, set free, overlook, exempt, mitigate, extenuate, palliate, rationalize, acquit, condone, reprieve, remit, absolve, exonerate, exculpate, clear of, shrive, grant absolution, pass over, look the other way, shrug off, give as an excuse, make excuses for, make allowances for, make apologies for, let off, let go, permit to leave, dispense with, grant remission, remit a penalty for, grant amnesty, blot out one's sins, expunge the record of, purge, provide with an alibi, plead ignorance, whitewash*, let off the hook*, let off easy*, let off scot-free*, wink at*, wipe the slate clean*, take the rap for*, alibi*.

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus)

I

n.

defense, justification, explanation, reason, rationalization, grounds, alibi, *song and dance, extenuation, *cover story, *whitewash, plea.

II

v.

pardon, forgive, absolve, condone, overlook, make allowances for, exonerate, acquit, reprieve, exempt, spare, liberate, *let go, extenuate.

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I verb 1. To grant forgiveness to or for: condone, forgive, pardon, remit. Idiom: forgive and forget. See FORGIVENESS. 2. To show to be just, right, or valid: justify, rationalize, vindicate. Idiom: make a case for. See RIGHT. 3. To free from an obligation or duty: absolve, discharge, dispense, exempt, let off, relieve, spare. See FREE. II noun 1. An explanation offered to justify an action or make it better understood: plea, pretext. See EXPLAIN. 2. A statement of acknowledgment expressing regret or asking pardon: apology, mea culpa, regret (used in plural). See REGRET. 3. The act or an instance of forgiving: absolution, amnesty, condonation, forgiveness, pardon, remission. See FORGIVENESS.