How Do You Spell EXCUSE?

Pronunciation: [ɛkskjˈuːs] (IPA)

The word "excuse" is spelled with two syllables and pronounced /ɪkˈskjuːz/. This phonetic transcription can help explain the spelling of the word. The first syllable, "ik", is spelled with the letter "i" and the sound /ɪ/ which is the short "i" sound. The second syllable, "skjuze", contains the letters "s", "c", "u", and "e" which represent the sounds /sk/ for the "s" and "c", /juː/ for the "u", and /z/ for the "e". Overall, this IPA transcription helps demonstrate how the written letters correspond to the sounds of the spoken word.

EXCUSE Meaning and Definition

  1. The term excuse refers to a justification or explanation given by an individual for an action, behavior, or circumstance that is seen as undesirable, inappropriate, or unacceptable. It is a verbal or written attempt to alleviate blame or responsibility by providing a reasoning that offers understanding or forgiveness for one's actions. An excuse is often employed to defend or vindicate oneself when faced with criticism, accusation, or the consequences of one's behavior.

    In daily life, excuses are commonly used to either avoid facing the consequences of our actions or to gain empathy or leniency from others. They can vary greatly in nature and range from legitimate reasons to mere justifications or attempts to evade accountability.

    Excuses can be regarded as a form of dishonesty if they are used to manipulate others or avoid personal growth. While some excuses may have genuine underlying causes, such as unforeseen circumstances or unavoidable limitations, others may be born out of laziness, lack of accountability, or the desire to deceive.

    Excuses can be detrimental to personal growth and relationships if excessively relied upon. They can hinder progress, impede problem-solving, and undermine trust. It is important to recognize when excuses are being made and to take responsibility for one's actions instead of resorting to them as a means of escaping accountability.

  2. • A plea offered in extenuation of a fault; an apology; a pretext.
    • To pardon; to overlook on giving an explanation or apology; to disengage or free from an obligation; to justify.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for EXCUSE *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for EXCUSE

Etymology of EXCUSE

The word "excuse" originated from the Latin word "excusare", which is a combination of two Latin elements: "ex" meaning "out" or "away" and "causa" meaning "cause" or "reason". In Latin, "excusare" originally meant "to free from blame" or "to make an apology". Over time, the term evolved and was adopted into Old French as "excuser", which kept a similar meaning. Eventually, it was introduced into Middle English as "excuse" in the 14th century, and its modern usage and meaning have remained relatively unchanged since then.

Idioms with the word EXCUSE

  • Could you excuse us, please? The idiom "Could you excuse us, please?" is a polite request made to someone in order to ask them to leave or step away from a conversation or situation for a little while.
  • excuse me The idiom "excuse me" is used as a polite way to ask for forgiveness or to get someone's attention, typically when you need to interrupt or apologize for a mistake, inconvenience, or a physical intrusion.
  • use sm or sth as an excuse The idiom "use someone or something as an excuse" refers to the act of attributing blame or justifying one's actions by placing the responsibility on someone or something else. It implies that the person is avoiding taking personal accountability by using another person or thing as a reason or justification for their behavior or choices.
  • excuse sm from sth The idiom "excuse someone from something" means to grant or provide someone with an exemption or pardon from a duty, task, or obligation. It implies allowing someone to be forgiven or relieved of a responsibility, usually due to a valid reason or circumstance.
  • excuse sm for sth The idiom "excuse someone for something" typically means to pardon, forgive, or overlook someone's actions or behavior that may be perceived as offensive, inappropriate, or wrong. It implies understanding or accepting that the person may have had a valid reason or explanation for their actions.
  • excuse sm The idiom "excuse someone" typically means forgiving or pardoning someone for their actions, behavior, or mistakes. It implies providing a reasonable explanation or justification for their actions or giving them a pass without holding them accountable.
  • use as an excuse The idiom "use as an excuse" means to offer a justification or explanation for one's actions, behavior, or inaction, which may not be entirely truthful or valid. It implies that someone is using a particular reason or pretext as a means to avoid criticism, responsibility, or consequences for their actions.
  • a poor excuse for The idiom "a poor excuse for" refers to something or someone that is regarded as inadequate, unsatisfactory, or not genuine in their justification or explanation for a particular action or behavior. It implies that the excuse provided is weak, unconvincing, or lacking credibility.
  • excuse (someone) for (something) The idiom "excuse (someone) for (something)" means to pardon or forgive someone for a mistake, wrongdoing, or any undesirable action. It implies understanding and allowing someone an exemption from blame or punishment.
  • excuse (someone) from (something) The idiom "excuse someone from something" means to allow or grant someone permission to not participate in or be exempted from a particular task, duty, responsibility, or requirement. It refers to giving someone a valid reason or justification for not being held accountable or obligated to do something.
  • excuse someone The idiom "excuse someone" typically means to pardon or forgive someone for their actions, behavior, or mistakes. It implies disregarding the offense or providing a reason to justify the person's actions.
  • use someone or something as an excuse The idiom "use someone or something as an excuse" means to employ someone or something as a justification or explanation for one's actions, often in order to avoid taking responsibility or facing consequences.
  • Excuse me for living! The idiom "Excuse me for living!" is a sarcastic or self-deprecating phrase used to convey a sense of apology or complaint about one's existence or presence. It is typically used humorously to imply that the speaker feels unworthy, bothersome, or insignificant in a given situation.
  • excuse from The idiom "excuse from" means to provide a reason or justification for someone to be exempted or released from a responsibility, duty, or obligation. It expresses the act of granting forgiveness or offering an acceptable excuse for someone's absence or failure to meet certain expectations.
  • bad excuse is better than none The idiom "a bad excuse is better than none" means that it is preferable to provide a weak or insufficient explanation for one's actions or behavior rather than not giving any explanation at all. It suggests that offering any excuse, even if it is not convincing or valid, is better than leaving a situation completely unexplained.
  • excuse oneself The idiom "excuse oneself" means to politely apologize or provide a reason for leaving a situation or event temporarily. It is often used when someone wants to temporarily leave a conversation, a meeting, or a social gathering for personal reasons such as using the restroom, taking a phone call, or attending to an urgent matter.
  • Would you excuse me? The idiom "Would you excuse me?" is a polite way of asking someone to allow you to leave or to briefly interrupt a conversation or interaction.
  • excuse (or pardon) my French The idiom "excuse (or pardon) my French" is a polite expression used to apologize for using offensive or vulgar language. It is often said immediately after a person swears or says something inappropriate, and is intended to mitigate any potential offense caused by the language used.
  • excuse/pardon my French! The idiom "excuse/pardon my French!" is used when someone has used profanity or offensive language and they want to apologize or seek forgiveness for their choice of words. It is often used humorously or ironically, as a lighthearted way to acknowledge the use of vulgar language while still maintaining some level of politeness or avoiding causing offense.
  • Ignorance (of the law) is no excuse (for breaking it). The idiom "Ignorance (of the law) is no excuse (for breaking it)" means that not knowing or being unaware of a law does not exempt a person from liability or punishment for violating that law. Even if someone claims they were unaware of a law's existence or provisions, they are still expected to abide by and face consequences if they break it.
  • Excuse my French The idiom "Excuse my French" is typically used as a polite apology after someone has used profanity or vulgar language. It is a way of acknowledging that the speaker is aware that their language may be offensive, and they are seeking forgiveness or understanding from the listener.
  • a bad excuse is better than none The idiom "a bad excuse is better than none" means that even a weak or flawed excuse is preferable to not having an excuse at all. It implies that providing some explanation, no matter how unsatisfactory, is better than offering no justification or explanation for one's actions or behavior.
  • Excuse me for breathing! The idiom "Excuse me for breathing!" is a sarcastic or self-deprecating phrase used humorously to acknowledge that one's presence or existence may be causing an inconvenience or annoyance to others. It suggests a feeling of unworthiness or guilt for simply existing or taking up space.
  • a miserable, poor, etc. excuse for sth The idiom "a miserable, poor, etc. excuse for something" is used to describe someone or something as being completely unsatisfactory or inadequate in terms of quality or performance. It implies that the person or thing being referred to is a weak representation or example of the particular thing mentioned. It portrays a sense of disappointment or disdain towards the person or object being described as they fail to meet the expected standards or requirements.
  • Can you excuse us, please? This phrase is a polite request for privacy or for someone to leave the current conversation or situation.

Similar spelling words for EXCUSE

Plural form of EXCUSE is EXCUSES

Conjugate verb Excuse

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have excused
you would have excused
he/she/it would have excused
we would have excused
they would have excused
I would have excuse
you would have excuse
he/she/it would have excuse
we would have excuse
they would have excuse

CONDITIONAL PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

I would have been excusing
you would have been excusing
he/she/it would have been excusing
we would have been excusing
they would have been excusing

CONDITIONAL PRESENT

I would excuse
you would excuse
he/she/it would excuse
we would excuse
they would excuse

CONDITIONAL PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

I would be excusing
you would be excusing
he/she/it would be excusing
we would be excusing
they would be excusing

FUTURE

I will excuse
you will excuse
he/she/it will excuse
we will excuse
they will excuse

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be excusing
you will be excusing
he/she/it will be excusing
we will be excusing
they will be excusing

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have excused
you will have excused
he/she/it will have excused
we will have excused
they will have excused

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been excusing
you will have been excusing
he/she/it will have been excusing
we will have been excusing
they will have been excusing

IMPERATIVE

you excuse
we let´s excuse

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to excuse

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was excusing
you were excusing
he/she/it was excusing
we were excusing
they were excusing

PAST PARTICIPLE

excused

PAST PERFECT

I had excused
you had excused
he/she/it had excused
we had excused
they had excused

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been excusing
you had been excusing
he/she/it had been excusing
we had been excusing
they had been excusing

PRESENT

I excuse
you excuse
he/she/it excuses
we excuse
they excuse

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am excusing
you are excusing
he/she/it is excusing
we are excusing
they are excusing

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

excusing

PRESENT PERFECT

I have excused
you have excused
he/she/it has excused
we have excused
they have excused

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been excusing
you have been excusing
he/she/it has been excusing
we have been excusing
they have been excusing

PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE

he/she/it excuse

SIMPLE PAST

I excused
you excused
he/she/it excused
we excused
they excused

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