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a reason, either true or invented, that you give to explain or defend your behaviour 借口；理由；辩解 Late again! What's your excuse this time? 又迟到了！你这次有什么借口？ I tried desperately to think of a good excuse. 我拼命想找个好借口。 a lame/feeble/poor/flimsy excuse 站不住脚的/无力的/可怜的/站不住脚的借口 a reasonable/valid excuse 合理/有效的借口 I know I missed the deadline, but I have an excuse. 我知道我错过了最后期限，但我有借口。 - excuse for something
There's no excuse for such behaviour. 这种行为说不过去。 - excuse for doing something
His excuse for forgetting her birthday was that he had lost his diary. 他辩解说因为日记本丢了才忘了她的生日。 You don't have to make excuses for her (= try to think of reasons for her behaviour). 你不必为她辩解了。 It's late. I'm afraid I'll have to make my excuses (= say I'm sorry, give my reasons and leave). 时间不早了。很抱歉，我得告辞了。
Synonyms reasonreason- explanation
- grounds
- basis
- excuse
- motive
- justification
- pretext
- reason a cause or an explanation for something that has happened or that somebody has done; a fact that makes it right or fair to do something:
He said no but he didn’t give a reason. 他说不行，但没有说明原因。
- explanation a statement, fact or situation that tells you why something has happened; a reason given for something:
The most likely explanation is that his plane was delayed. 最可能的解释是他的飞机晚点了。 She left the room abruptly without explanation. 她未作解释就突然离开了房间。
- grounds (rather formal
) a good or true reason for saying, doing or believing something: 指说、做或相信某事的充分理由、根据： You have no grounds for complaint. 你没有理由抱怨。
- basis (rather formal
) the reason why people take a particular action: 指原因、缘由： On what basis will this decision be made? 将基于何种原因作出这一决定呢？
- excuse a reason, either true or invented, that you give to explain or defend your behaviour; a good reason that you give for doing something that you want to do for other reasons:
Late again! What’s your excuse this time? 又迟到了！你这次有什么借口？ It gave me an excuse to take the car. 这使我有理由开车去了。
- motive a reason that explains somebody’s behaviour:
There seemed to be no motive for the murder. 这起谋杀案看不出有什么动机。
- justification (rather formal
) a good reason why something exists or is done: 指事物存在或做某事的正当理由： I can see no possible justification for any further tax increases. 我看不出还能提出什么理由来加税了。
grounds or justification? 用 grounds 还是 justification？ - pretext (rather formal
) a false reason that you give for doing something, usually something bad, in order to hide the real reason: 指为掩盖做某事（通常为不好的事）的真正理由而找的借口、托辞： He left the party early on the pretext of having to work. 他借口有事要处理，早早离开了聚会。
- (a/an) reason/explanation/grounds/basis/excuse/motive/justification/pretext for something
- the reason/motive behind something
- on the grounds/basis/pretext of/that…
- (a) good/valid reason/explanation/grounds/excuse/motive/justification
Extra ExamplesI don't want to hear any more excuses. 我不想再听任何借口。 Justin mumbled some excuse and left. 贾斯廷嘟囔了个借口就离开了。 What possible excuse could he have? 他还能有什么借口？ He became moody and unreasonable, flailing out at Katherine at the slightest excuse. 他变得喜怒无常、不可理喻，为点儿鸡毛蒜皮的小事就殴打凯瑟琳。 He had no excuse for being so late. 他对自己迟到这么久找不出借口。 Don't let perfectionism become an excuse for never getting started. 不要借口追求完美而从不行动。 He's run out of excuses for not cleaning his room. 他再也找不到不清扫房间的理由了。 She made some feeble excuse about the car having broken down. 她编造了汽车抛锚这么个蹩脚的理由。 She seized on every excuse to avoid doing the work. 为避免做这件事她抓住每一个借口。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- perfect
- wonderful
- excellent
- …
- have
- give
- make
- …
- excuse about
- excuse for
- there is no excuse for…
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a good reason that you give for doing something that you want to do for other reasons （正当的）理由，借口 Eating ice cream for a sore throat isn't really a cure, but I like it, so any excuse! 吃冰淇淋治喉咙痛并不是真正的治愈方法，但我喜欢，所以任何借口！ - excuse for something
It's just an excuse for a party. 这只是聚会的一个借口。 - excuse for doing something
Any occasion is a good excuse for having a barbecue. 任何场合都是烧烤的好借口。 - excuse to do something
It gave me an excuse to take the car. 这使我有理由开车去。 He tried unsuccessfully to find an excuse to leave. 他试图找借口离开，但没有成功。 The demonstration was used as an excuse to impose martial law. 示威被用作实施戒严令的借口。
Extra ExamplesShe had to find a valid excuse for leaving the room. 她需要找一个合理的借口离开房间。 The children provided a convenient excuse for missing the party. 孩子们为没有参加聚会随便找了个借口。 Her mother's illness provided her with an excuse to stay at home. 她母亲生病使她有借口待在家里。 The political crisis is being used as an excuse to dock people's pay. 政治危机被用作扣减工资的借口。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- perfect
- wonderful
- excellent
- …
- have
- give
- make
- …
- excuse about
- excuse for
- there is no excuse for…
a very bad example of something 拙劣样品；蹩脚货 Extra Examplesa sorry excuse for a man 差劲的男人 She's a pitiful excuse for an actress. 她是一个蹩脚的女演员。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- lousy
- miserable
- pathetic
- …
- excuse for
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a note written by a parent or doctor to explain why a student cannot go to school or somebody cannot go to work 假条（家长或医生写明请假或给假理由）
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French escuser (verb), from Latin excusare ‘to free from blame’, from ex- ‘out’ + causa ‘accusation, cause’.