vt. 原谅,宽恕,使免除,为…辩解
n. 理由,借口,辩解,原谅,饶恕,歉意,道歉
来源于拉丁语causa, causae, f(原因,源头).
拆分: ex-出 + cuse原因 → 出于我的原因 → 原谅
同源词:
accusation, accuse, cause
辨异:
excuse字面义为"出于(ex-)...原因(cause)",故它所表示的"借口"是指为了推卸责任或为辩解而提出的理由,多为事后找出.
pretext字面义为"预先编造",故它所表示的"借口"是指为了达到某种目的而歪曲事实编造的理由,往往是事先编造.
短语:
excuse me 对不起,请原谅[用于引起别人注意、问路、问事；请别人让开便于通过；打断别人；不同意别人说的；表示暂时离开一会儿；失礼、打喷嚏、打嗝时等场合的客套话；没听清楚,需要别人重复所说的话时(北美地区)]
例:
excuse me:
用于引起别人注意、问路、问事:
Excuse me, could you tell me the way to the post office? 对不起, 请问到邮局走哪条路?
Excuse me, is anybody sitting here? 对不起，这里有人坐吗？
Excuse me, could you tell me the time, please? 对不起，请问现在几点钟？
Excuse me, would you tell me where I can get some butter? 打扰一下，您能告诉我黄油在哪儿卖吗？
Excuse me, how much is a postcard to France? 打扰一下，寄往法国的明信片多少钱一张？
请别人让开便于通过:
Excuse me, could I get past? 劳驾，让我过去好吗?
打断别人:
Excuse me, have you get a light by any chance? 对不起，你碰巧有打火机吗？
Excuse me, sir, but you can’t park there! 抱歉，先生，这里不能停车！
不同意别人说的:
Excuse me, but I must say you are completely wrong. 对不起，但是我必须说你完全错了。
Excuse me, but I don't think that statement is quite true. 对不起,不过我认为那话不十分真实。
表示暂时离开一会儿:
Excuse me a minute, I’ll be right back. 对不起，我一会儿就回来。
失礼时的客套话:
Excuse me, did I step on your toe? 对不起，我踩着你的脚趾头了吗？
Excuse me for not going to the door with you. 对不起，我不送你到门口了。
If I don’t appear, please excuse me. 我若不到埸，请原谅我。
Excuse me, but can I smoke here? 对不起，我可以在这里抽烟吗?
Excuse me, I’m busy. 对不起，我正忙着呢。
Excuse me, I don’t know either. 对不起，我也不知道。
n.
That's a good excuse. 那是一个好借口。
He had no excuse for being so late. 他对自己迟到找不出借口。
Her excuse didn't go down well; no one believed it. 她的借口不能使人信服,没有一个人相信它。
Give my excuses to your mother for having caused her so much trouble. 请代我向你母亲致歉,我给她添了不少麻烦。
She seized on every excuse to avoid doing the work. 为避免做这份工作她抓住每一个借口。
It’s just an excuse for a party. 这只不过是找个借口聚会罢了。
There’s no excuse for such behaviour.这种行为说不过去。