excuse

1. N-COUNT An excuse is a reason that you give in order to explain why something has been done or has not been done, or in order to avoid doing something. 借口

It is easy to find excuses for his indecisiveness. 爲他的優柔寡斷尋找借口是件容易的事。

If you stop making excuses and do it you'll wonder what took you so long. 如果你停止辯解而開始行動，你就會驚訝是什麽讓你耗費了這麽長的時間。

2. PHRASE If you say that there is no excuse for something, you are emphasizing that it should not happen, or expressing disapproval that it has happened. 沒有理由[表不滿]

There's no excuse for behaviour like that. 像那樣的行爲毫無道理。

3. V-T To excuse someone or excuse their behaviour means to provide reasons for their actions, especially when other people disapprove of these actions. 爲…開脫

He excused himself by saying he was "forced to rob to maintain my wife and cat."

他爲自己開脫，說是“爲養活妻子和貓才迫不得已去搶劫的”。

4. V-T If you excuse someone for something wrong that they have done, you forgive them for it. 原諒

Many people might have excused them for shirking some of their responsibilities. 很多人也許已經原諒他們逃避一些責任的行爲了。

5. V-T If someone is excused from a duty or responsibility, they are told that they do not have to carry it out. 免除…的責任[usu passive]

She is usually excused from her duties during the summer holiday. 在暑期她一般不必擔負責任。

6. V-T If you excuse yourself, you use a phrase such as "Excuse me" as a polite way of saying that you are about to leave. 準許…離開

He excused himself and went up to his room. 他禮貌地告辤後便上樓去了自己的房間。

7. CONVENTION You say "Excuse me" when you want to politely get someone's attention, especially when you are about to ask them a question. 打擾一下 (用於禮貌地引起某人的注意)[套語]

Excuse me, but are you Mr. Honig?

打擾一下，請問您就是霍尼格先生嗎？

8. CONVENTION You use excuse me to apologize to someone when you have disturbed or interrupted them. 對不起 (用於因打擾或打斷某人而表示歉意)[套語]

Excuse me interrupting, but there's something I need to say. 恕我打斷一下，但有件事我需要說。

9. CONVENTION You use excuse me or a phrase such as if you'll excuse me as a polite way of indicating that you are about to leave or that you are about to stop talking to someone. 失陪 (用於禮貌地表示要離開或中斷談話)[禮貌]

"Excuse me," she said to José, and left the room. “失陪了，”她對喬賽說，然後離開了那個房間。

10. CONVENTION You use excuse me, but to indicate that you are about to disagree with someone. 抱歉，不過 (用於禮貌地表示不贊成)

Excuse me, but I want to know what all this has to do with us. 抱歉，不過我想知道這一切和我們有什麽關系。

11. PHRASE You say excuse me to apologize when you have bumped into someone, or when you need to move past someone in a crowd. 抱歉; 借過 (用於因撞上別人或需要從人群中擠過表示歉意)[套語]

Saying excuse me, Seaton pushed his way into the crowded living room. 西頓一邊嘴裡說著“借過”，一邊奮力擠進了擁擠的客厛。

12. CONVENTION You say excuse me to apologize when you have done something slightly embarrassing or impolite, such as burping, hiccuping, or sneezing. 不好意思 (用於因打嗝、打噴嚏等尲尬失禮行爲而表示歉意)[套語]

13. CONVENTION You say "Excuse me?" to show that you want someone to repeat what they have just said. 請再說一遍[美國英語]

"Excuse me?" Kate said, not sure she'd heard correctly. “能再說一遍嗎？”凱特說道，不確信自己有沒有聽對。