Forms: 3–6 escuse(n, (4 excusi), 4–5 ascuse, -kuse, -kewse, -kewese, 4– excuse. Also aphetic SCUSE, q.v. [ME. escusen, excusen, ad. OF. escuser, excuser, ad. L. excūsāre, f. ex- (see EX- pref.1) + causa CAUSE, accusation.]
I. To offer, or serve as, an exculpation for.
1. trans. To offer an apology for.
a. To attempt to clear (a person) wholly or partially from blame, without denying or justifying his imputed action. Chiefly refl.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 304. Mon schal … nout werien [v.r. escusen] him ne siggen, Ich hit dude þuruh oðre.
1340. Ayenb., 7. Ne he ne may habbe skele: þet he him moȝe excusi.
1382. Wyclif, 2 Cor. xii. 19. Ȝe wenen, that we schulen excuse vs anentis ȝou.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 6. Whanne God asked her whi she had broke his comaundement … she beganne to excuse her.
1653. Walton, Angler, Ep. Ded. A 4 a–b. I should rather excuse my self, then censure others.
1675. Crowne, Countrey Wit, V. 84. My Lord has been to seek me in such a rage, that if you do not excuse me, it will be a parting quarrel.
1771. Junius Lett., xlix. (1820), 257. To excuse yourself, you publicly impeach your accomplice.
b. To seek to extenuate or remove the blame of (an acknowledged fault). † Also rarely with sentence as obj.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 12357. He [Adam] wulde haue excusede hys fame As who seyþ, ‘Gode was to blame.’
1340. Ayenb., 61. Þe blondere defendeþ and excuseþ … þe zennes of ham þet he wyle ulateri.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., 77. For shame yit shuld she let, To excuse her velany by me.
1548. Hall, Chron., 184 b. The Mayre sent the recorder … to excuse the matter.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., III. i. 92. She will well excuse Why at this time the dores are made against you.
1660. Marvell, Corr., Wks. 1872–5, II. 17. I had rather expose mine own defects … then excuse thereby a totall neglect of my duty.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 394. So spake the Fiend, and with necessitie … excus’d his devilish deeds.
1751. Eliza Heywood, Betsy Thoughtless, I. 216. She … excused having made him wait.
1793. Gouv. Morris, in Sparks, Life & Writ. (1832), II. 372. He is driven to the necessity of excusing a step, which it is not possible to justify.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), II. ix. 368. It was a strange proceeding, to be excused only … by the pressure of the times.
c. absol.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., V. i. 363. Neuer excuse; for when the plaiers are all dead, there need none to be blamed.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xix. 97. To accuse, requires lesse Eloquence (such is mans Nature) than to excuse.
† d. [after L. excusare se esse, etc.] To excuse (a person or thing) to be, etc., to excuse oneself that, etc.: to allege by way of excuse or explanation, that (it is), etc. Obs.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xviii. 7. No man may excuse him ‘þat he ne is sum tyme stird fra synn to gode.’
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XXIII. 6. Couþest þou nat excuse þe … þat þow nome no more þan neode þe tauhte?
a. 1532. Ld. Berners, Huon, xcv. 309. The prouost … excusynge hym selfe that he knew nothynge of ye trewes.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. iii. § 10. E 2. Excusing himselfe, That it was reason to yeeld to him, that commaunded thirtie Legions.
1668. Culpepper & Cole, Barthol. Anat., III. i. 323/1. Riolanus the Father excepts the Nerves of the Privity manifestly hollow, which nevertheless his Son excuses to have been meant of the hollow Ligaments of the Privity.
† 2. To maintain the innocence of (a person); to defend from an accusation (of); to maintain the rightness of, seek to justify (an action). Obs.
c. 1315. Shoreham, 40. The thef … escusede Jhesu Cryst, And hym gelty gan ȝelde.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 4045. Sche of þat sclaunder excused hire al-gate.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame, I. 427. She desired no-thinge ellis But to excusen Eneas.
1481. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 323. John Mather askused hymsell … wt ij men sworyn apon a boke.
1526–34. Tindale, Rom. ii. 15. Their thoughtes accusynge one another or excusynge.
1531. St. German’s Doctor & Stud., liv. 148 a. Howe may the playntyfe there be excused of an untruthe?
1577. Holinshed, Chron., II. 140. To excuse him of the death of the archbishop Thomas.
1696. Stillingfl., Serm., ii. 66. To have excused these two commands from a palpable contradiction.
† b. with complement, or to be (so and so). Obs.
1583. Golding, Calvin on Deut., xlvii. 281. Is there not any of vs all, that can excuse himselfe to bee vnsubiect to such naughtinesse.
1587. Mirr. Mag., Porrex, vii. Can I excuse my selfe deuoide of faut.
3. To obtain exemption or release for; to allege reasons for the exemption of (a person) from a duty or obligation. Const. † for, from, in early use with that … not.
1340. Ayenb., 33. He him excuseþ þet he hit ne may do.
1389. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 4. Al þe oþer schul comen to þe placebo and dirige … but ȝif he may hym excuse resonabely.
1460. Capgrave, Chron., 141. He excused him be the werre that he had with Frauns.
1467. Mann. & Househ. Exp. (1841), 172. I promessed the Kenge I wolde make in al haste a new schepe … were fore, I pray ȝowe helpe to askewese me fore my komenge.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., V. v. 46. Clarence excuse me to the King my Brother.
1697. Dampier, Voy. (1698), I. 356. Captain Swan excused himself, and said … he would have nothing to do with it.
1712. Hearne, Collect. (Oxf. Hist. Soc.), III. 361. I excus’d myself upon account of my being oblig’d to return speedily to Oxford.
1788. Reid, Aristotle’s Log., iv. § 5. 96. I am very willing to excuse myself from entering upon this great branch of Logic.
absol. 1382. Wyclif, Luke xiv. 18. Alle bigunnen togidere to excuse [1388 excusen hem].
† b. To beg off from (doing something); to decline with apologies. Obs.
1548. Hall, Chron., 204. Willing him … with all hast to repayre unto hym, which oftentymes he had excused by syckenes and debilitie of his body.
1588. R. Parke, trans. Mendoza’s Hist. China, 162. They could not excuse to go vnto them to accomplish their commandement.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., I. iii. 71. To morrow be in readinesse, to goe, Excuse it not: for I am peremptory.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, I. (1629), 14. He did what he could to excuse it, yet their importunities would not cease till he undertooke it.
1709. Strype, Ann. Ref., I. xiii. 170. (heading of ch.), The Bishop of Ely excuseth his ministring in the Chapel by reason thereof.
1754. J. Hildrop, Misc. Wks., II. 123. He pressed me … to dine with him, which I excused.
† 4. To screen, shelter. [Cf. late L. se a calore excusare (Palladius).] To save from punishment or harm, esp. by suffering (in a person’s stead); to exempt (a person) from a duty by taking his place. Const. of, from. Obs.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xviii. 7. He suffirs nan to be þat may excuse þaim of the hete of his luf.
1461–83. Liber Niger, in Househ. Ord., 16. Every officer in unitie of love applyed to excuse other by servyce and attendaunce. Ibid., 82. Everye yoman to helpe to excuse others for his busyness in his absence.
1543. Sir J. Wallop, in Maclean, Carew, 126. I wold wische to God the next kynesman I have … had excused hym.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 426. I would her life might have beene excused by my death.
1653. H. More, Antid. Ath., II. xi. An Armature … often excuses the more useful parts of his head from harm.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 82, ¶ 3. At School, he was whipped thrice a Week for Faults he took upon him to excuse others.
† b. To regard as exempt or safe from. rare.
1643. Sir T. Browne, Relig. Med., I. § 28 (1656), 251. I excuse not Constantine from a fall off his Horse … upon the wearing those Nayles &c.
5. Of things, circumstances, etc.: To serve as an excuse or exculpation for.
1538. Starkey, England, I. ii. 31. Such ignorance excusyth not errorys in mannys lyfe.
1685. Baxter, Paraphr. N. T., Matt. iii. 4. Other men’s superstition … will not excuse mens superfluity.
1702. Pope, Wife of Bath, 97. Shape excuses the defects of face.
1800. Addison, Amer. Law. Rep., 13. The wife’s presence will not excuse the husband.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. v. 434. There are some acts of injustice which no national interest can excuse.
absol. 1658–9. Burton’s Diary (1828), IV. 2. Ignorance will not excuse.
1736. Butler, Anal., II. i. Wks. I. 163. Ignorance … will … just as little, excuse in one case as in the other.
b. In passive. To have a sufficient excuse; to be freed from blame.
c. 1340. Hampole, Prose Tr., 27. If þou leue nedfull besynes of actyf lyfe … by-cause of desire … to gyffe þe to gastely ocupacyone, wenande þat þou arte thereby excusede … þou dose noghte wysely.
1548. Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. John, 57 b. The common people and the vnlearned are to be holden excused, and may be forgeuen.
a. 1626. Bacon, Max. & Uses Com. Law, v. (1636), 26. So if a warrant or precept come from the King to sell wood upon the ground whereof I am tenant for life or for yeeres, I am excused in waste.
1787. Minor, 96. Cupid being blind was partly excused accompanying a counterfeit.
II. To accept an excuse for or from.
6. a. To accept a plea in exculpation of (a person); to judge leniently on the ground of extenuating circumstances. Const. † of, for.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., A. 281. To be excused I make requeste.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 908. Although his ire here gylt accused, Yet in his resoun he hem bothe excused.
c. 1450. Castle Hd. Life St. Cuthb. (Surtees), 7305. Þai were excused þan, for why þai did wrange vnwitandly.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxvii. 157. He is totally Excused, for the reason next before alledged.
1862. Sir B. Brodie, Psychol. Inq., II. iii. 85. We may excuse altogether those who labour under the illusions of actual insanity.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 179. The people may be excused for following tradition only.
b. Phrase, Excuse me: used parenthetically in conversation as apology for an impropriety in speech, etc., or as a polite way of disputing a statement.
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., I. ii. 87. Pan. … Hector is not a better man then Troylus. Cre. Excuse me. Pan. He is elder.
1889. A. Lang, Lett. Lit., iii. (ed. 2), 33. That infernal (excuse me) coward and villain.
c. To admit apology for, overlook, condone (a fault, offence, impropriety, etc.); to regard indulgently, pardon the faults of (a performance). Also with indirect personal object.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., Prol. 2. I prey … every discret persone … to have my rewde endytyng for excused.
1553. T. Wilson, Rhet., 107. Some tymes we excuse a fault and accuse the reporter.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., IV. i. 54. We cite our faults, That they may hold excus’d our lawlesse liues. Ibid. (1607), Cor., IV. vii. 11. I must excuse, What cannot be amended.
1702. Eng. Theophrast., 125. It is a very dangerous Mistake to excuse these vile Inclinations, upon the Tenderness of their Age.
1737. Pope, Hor. Epist., II. i. 215. (Excuse some courtly stains) No whiter page than Addison’s remains.
1775. Sheridan, Rivals, I. i. Excuse my glove, Thomas.
1825. Macaulay, Milton, Ess. (1854), I. 13/2. If ever despondency and asperity could be excused in any man, they might have been excused in Milton.
1857. Robertson, Serm., Ser. III. xvii. 217. The boldest heart may be excused a shudder.
7. To set free (a person) from a task, duty, obligation; dispense from payment, attendance, etc. Const. † for, from; also with double obj.
1382. Wyclif, Luke xiv. 19. I preie thee, haue me excusid.
1389. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 7. That they come to þe dirige … but he haue a resonable cause to be excused.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., V. i. 1. Shal. … you shall not away to night…. Fal. You must excuse me, M. Robert Shallow.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. (1843), I. 33/2. The then bishop of London, Dr. Laud, attended on his majesty throughout that whole journey, which … he … no doubt would have been excused from.
1697. C’tess. D’Aunoy’s Trav. (1706), 85. She sent word to all the Ladies of Brussels and Antwerp, she would excuse them for their Visits.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 295. He would not be excused … from going back with us.
1777. Sheridan, Sch. Scand., II. ii. Your ladyship must excuse me: I’m called away by particular business.
1817. Mar. Edgeworth, Two Guardians, III. iv. Beauchamp. Come, shake hands, and be friends. St. Albans. Excuse me, Mr. Courtington.
Mod. The jury were excused from attendance for the rest of the week. He was excused the entrance-fee.
8. ‘To remit; not to exact’ (J.); to grant excuse for the want or absence of; to dispense with.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., I. ix. 35. If any man shall from hence conclude, the Moone is second in magnitude unto the Sun, he must excuse my beliefe.
1726. Chetwood, Adv. Capt. R. Boyle, 58. I must beg you to excuse my waiting on you for a little while.
1814. Byron, Note in Orig. MS., Wks. (1846), 90/1, note. He will excuse the ‘Mr.’—we do not say Mr. Cæsar.
1836. Lytton, Duchess de la Vallière, V. v. From our royal court We do excuse your presence.
