excusing [ik'skju:ziŋ]
adj.
辩辞的, 辩解的
Excuse \Ex*cuse"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Excused}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {Excusing}.] [OE. escusen, cusen, OF. escuser, excuser, F.
excuser, fr. L. excusare; ex out + causa cause, causari to
plead. See {Cause}.]
1. To free from accusation, or the imputation of fault or
blame; to clear from guilt; to release from a charge; to
justify by extenuating a fault; to exculpate; to absolve;
to acquit.
A man's persuasion that a thing is duty, will not
excuse him from guilt in practicing it, if really
and indeed it be against Gog's law. --Abp. Sharp.
2. To pardon, as a fault; to forgive entirely, or to admit to
be little censurable, and to overlook; as, we excuse
irregular conduct, when extraordinary circumstances appear
to justify it.
I must excuse what can not be amended. --Shak.
3. To regard with indulgence; to view leniently or to
overlook; to pardon.
And in our own (excuse some courtly stains.)
No whiter page than Addison remains. --Pope.
4. To free from an impending obligation or duty; hence, to
disengage; to dispense with; to release by favor; also, to
remit by favor; not to exact; as, to excuse a forfeiture.
I pray thee have me excused. --xiv. 19.
5. To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make
apology for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or
indulgence for.
Think ye that we excuse ourselves to you? --2 Cor.
xii. 19.
Syn: To vindicate; exculpate; absolve; acquit.
Usage: - {To Pardon}, {Excuse}, {Forgive}. A superior pardons
as an act of mercy or generosity; either a superior or
an equal excuses. A crime, great fault, or a grave
offence, as one against law or morals, may be
pardoned; a small fault, such as a failure in social
or conventional obligations, slight omissions or
neglects may be excused. Forgive relates to offenses
against one's self, and punishment foregone; as, to
forgive injuries or one who has injured us; to pardon
grave offenses, crimes, and criminals; to excuse an
act of forgetfulness, an unintentional offense. Pardon
is also a word of courtesy employed in the sense of
excuse.
- It was not for nothing that Lord Owen, who is habitually strictly impartial in his public utterances, on this occasion expressed understanding for the frustration of the Croats, without however excusing their recourse to force.
- When price-fixing can be shown to offer some demonstrated public good, there are precedents for excusing it.