a. Also 5 excusabil, 6–7 excuseable. [a. Fr. excusable, ad. L. excūsābilis, f. excūsāre: see EXCUSE v.]
1. Of a person: Deserving to be excused; that may be excused or acquitted. † Const. of.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 76. If any man forswey Through hem, they be nought excusable.
c. 1440. Hylton, Scala Perf. (W. de W., 1494), II. xviii. They are somwhat excusable for her astate of lyuynge.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 336. Daily … remembraunce of your goodnesse … shall pleade me excusable of unthanckfulnesse.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), II. xi. 20. Those are the excusablest kind [of Pagans] who adore the Sun and Moon with the Host of Heaven.
1743. H. Walpole, Lett. H. Mann (1834), I. lxx. 254. I don’t sell you my news and therefore should not be excusable to invent.
1786. Burke, W. Hastings, Wks. 1842, II. 155. That the said Warren Hastings was the less excusable in this.
2. Of actions, conduct, etc.: Admitting of excuse or palliation. Excusable homicide (see quot. 1769).
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, III. 981. Som manere Ialousye Is excusable more þan som.
1460. Capgrave, Chron., 281. And that her rebellion schuld be more excusabil.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., III. xxii. (1634), 460. Dallying by shifts is never excusable.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., I. vii. 26. With more excusable reservation may we shrink at their bare testimonies.
1709. Addison, Tatler, No. 121, ¶ 4. The only Extravagance of this kind which appears to me excusable.
1769. Blackstone, Comm., IV. xiv. 182. Excusable homicide is of two sorts; either per infortunium, by misadventure; or se defendendo, upon a principle of self-preservation. Ibid., 183. Homicide in self-defence … is also excusable, rather than justifiable, by the English law.
1825. Lytton, Falkland, 29. Emily felt a strong yet excusable curiosity.
