excuse

Pronunciation

• IPA: noun /ɪkˈskjuːs/; verb /ɪkˈskjuːz/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English escusen, later excusen,^[2] borrowed from Old French escuser (“to apologize, make excuses; pardon”) (1190, modern excuser),^[2][3] from Latin excūsāre (“to release from a charge, plead as an excuse”),^[3][2][4] from ex “out, away” and causa “accusation, legal action”,^[3][2][4] the source of cause.^[3][2] The noun is from Old French excuse, from the verb.^[2][3] The noun is pronounced with s, the verb with z, by analogy with pairs such as use and abuse.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

To try to clear someone from blame: before 1225 in the OED, about 1225 in Barnhart, in the Ancrene Riwle,^[6][2] the mid-13th century in Etymonline.^[3] The noun: about 1374 in the OED, about 1375 in Barnhart, in Chaucer's Anelida and Arcite.^[6][2]

Semantic evolution

To forgive, to accept another's plea, is from the early 14th century,^[3] and to obtain release from an obligation or duty from the mid-14th century, as in excuse oneself.^[3][5] To serve as a justification for is from the 1530s.^[3][5] The noun first meant a pretext or justification (late 14th century),^[3] and a reason for being excused from the mid-15th century;^[3] the earlier noun was excusation.^[3] A release from an obligation is from 1577.^[6] An inferior example, as a poor excuse for a meal, and a note explaining an absence are later American senses.^[7][8] Excusable is from about 1385, in Chaucer.^[2]

Timeline

• a. 1225 – verb, to clear from blame.^[6][2]
• early 14th century – to forgive.^[3]
• mid-14th century – to release from a duty.^[3]
• c. 1374 – noun.^[6]
• c. 1385 – excusable.^[2]
• 1530s – to serve as justification.^[3]

Modern meaning

Verb

1. To forgive or pardon: excuse my rudeness.
2. To give an explanation in the hope of being forgiven or understood.
3. To serve as a justification for.
4. To release from a duty or obligation.
5. excuse me: used to apologize, interrupt or ask someone to repeat something.

Noun

1. An explanation given to justify a fault or get forgiveness.
2. A reason or pretext.
3. (US) A note explaining an absence.
4. (informal) An inferior example: a poor excuse for a teacher.

Word family

• excusable
• excusableness
• excusably
• excuser
• excusal
• excuseless
• excusingly
• excusive

Related words

• cause
• accuse

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
8. ^ Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster