excuses
excuses — 動詞
1. to stop blaming someone for a mistake, or to treat the fault as not very serious
原諒
不再責怪某人的過失
to stop blaming someone for a mistake, or to treat the fault as not very serious
The teacher excuses small spelling mistakes in first-week homework.
老師會原諒第一週作業裡的小拼字錯誤。
excuse + mistake
Nia excuses her brother's rude reply because he was sick.
Nia 會原諒弟弟無禮的回話，因為他當時生病了。
Our neighbors excuse noisy children during the street festival each summer.
我們的鄰居每到街頭節慶時，都會原諒吵鬧的孩子。
The judge rarely excuses careless driving after midnight crashes.
法官很少原諒午夜車禍後的粗心駕駛。
文法句型
excuse someone
excuse something
excuse someone for something
用法筆記
Often used when a person in authority, or someone affected by the mistake, decides not to stay angry or strict about it.
2. to say that someone does not need to attend, do a task, or stay any longer
准假；免除
准許某人不去或不做
to say that someone does not need to attend, do a task, or stay any longer
The nurse excuses Rafael from gym after the ankle injury.
護理師在 Rafael 腳踝受傷後，准他不用上體育課。
excuse someone from + activity
Maeve's manager excused her from the late meeting yesterday.
Maeve 的主管昨天准她不用參加那場晚會議。
The chair excuses both interns once the budget vote ends.
預算表決一結束，主席就免除兩位實習生留下來。
Please excuse Christopher early so he can catch the last ferry.
請准 Christopher 先離開，好讓他趕上最後一班渡輪。
文法句型
excuse someone from class
excuse someone early
be excused from something
用法筆記
Common with school, work, meetings, and other duties. Distinguish it from sense 1, which is about forgiving a fault rather than releasing someone from an obligation.
3. said before speaking to a stranger or interrupting someone in a polite way
勞駕
禮貌開口請對方注意時說
said before speaking to a stranger or interrupting someone in a polite way
Excuse me, is this seat free beside the window?
勞駕，窗邊這個位子有人坐嗎？
Excuse me before a question
Excuse me, which bus stops near the art museum?
勞駕，哪一班公車會停在美術館附近？
Excuse me, your scarf fell near the bakery door.
勞駕，你的圍巾掉在麵包店門口附近了。
Excuse me, could the cashier check this price for me?
勞駕，可以請收銀員幫我查一下這個價格嗎？
文法句型
Excuse me, + question
Excuse me, + statement
用法筆記
Use this to open a conversation or get attention politely, especially with someone you do not know. Distinguish it from sense 4, where the same words ask for space to pass.
4. said when you want people to move aside and let you go through
借過
請人讓路好讓自己通過
said when you want people to move aside and let you go through
Excuse me, my stop is next, so I need the aisle.
借過，我下一站就要下車，所以得走到走道。
Excuse me when moving past people
Excuse me, the nurse needs space to push the bed through.
借過，護理師需要空間把病床推過去。
Excuse me, could I squeeze past your cart at the market?
借過，我可以在市場裡從你的推車旁擠過去嗎？
Excuse me, the delivery driver is carrying two heavy boxes.
借過，送貨司機正搬著兩箱很重的箱子。
文法句型
Excuse me, I need to get past
Excuse me, could I squeeze past
用法筆記
This sense asks for physical space, often in a bus, shop, or crowd. Distinguish it from sense 3, which simply gets someone's attention.
5. said as a polite sign that you need to leave the conversation or room
失陪
禮貌表示自己要先離開
said as a polite sign that you need to leave the conversation or room
Excuse me, I need to answer a call outside.
失陪，我得去外面接一通電話。
Excuse me before leaving
Excuse me, our train leaves in ten minutes.
失陪，我們的火車再十分鐘就要開了。
Excuse me, the babysitter is waiting at the front gate.
失陪，保母正在前門等我。
Excuse me, I should get back to the office.
失陪，我該回辦公室了。
文法句型
Excuse me, I need to go
Excuse me, our train leaves
用法筆記
Often used at meals, meetings, or visits when you need to step away. Distinguish it from sense 6, where you apologize for a small accidental action.
6. said after you bump someone, make a small mistake, or do something by accident
抱歉
不小心造成不便時說
said after you bump someone, make a small mistake, or do something by accident
Excuse me, I stepped on your sketchbook in the hallway.
抱歉，我剛剛在走廊踩到你的素描本。
Excuse me after an accident
Excuse me, I knocked your coffee onto the counter.
抱歉，我把你的咖啡撞翻到櫃台上了。
Excuse me, the cart wheel brushed your ankle just now.
抱歉，推車輪子剛剛擦到你的腳踝。
Excuse me, I sent that message to the wrong group.
抱歉，我把那則訊息傳到錯的群組了。
文法句型
Excuse me, I + accidental action
Excuse me after a minor mistake
用法筆記
Use this when you are sorry about a small mistake or inconvenience. It is closer to a quick apology than to sense 5, where you are announcing your departure.
7. said before politely telling someone that you think they are wrong
恕我直言
先道歉再表達不同意見
said before politely telling someone that you think they are wrong
Excuse me, that figure comes from last year's report, not this one.
恕我直言，那個數字是去年的報告，不是這份。
Excuse me before disagreement
Excuse me, I remember the meeting date as Thursday.
恕我直言，我記得會議日期是星期四。
Excuse me, the blue file belongs to Liang, not me.
恕我直言，那個藍色檔案是 Liang 的，不是我的。
Excuse me, that rule changed after the safety review.
恕我直言，那條規定在安全審查後就改了。
文法句型
Excuse me, that's not ...
Excuse me, I remember ...
用法筆記
More common in careful or slightly formal speech. It softens disagreement before the correction itself.
8. said when you did not hear something and want the other person to say it again
請再說
沒聽清楚而請對方重說
said when you did not hear something and want the other person to say it again
Excuse me, the music was loud, so I missed your name.
請再說一次，音樂太大聲了，我沒聽清你的名字。
Excuse me when asking for repetition
Excuse me, could you repeat the room number slowly?
請再說一次，你可以慢慢重複一下房號嗎？
Excuse me, Shanti spoke softly, and I caught only half.
請再說一次，Shanti 剛剛講得很小聲，我只聽到一半。
Excuse me, what did the guide say about lunch?
請再說一次，導覽員剛才說午餐的事嗎？
文法句型
Excuse me, could you repeat ...
Excuse me, what did you say?
用法筆記
Use this when the problem is hearing, not understanding the idea itself. Distinguish it from sense 3, where you are only opening a polite question.
9. to be used as a reason that makes an action seem acceptable
成為藉口
被拿來合理化某行為
to be used as a reason that makes an action seem acceptable
A tight schedule never excuses cheating on the final exam.
行程很趕，絕不能成為作弊的藉口。
nothing excuses + behavior
Cold weather does not excuse rude treatment of customers.
天氣冷，不能成為對客人無禮的藉口。
No rumor excuses posting private photos without permission.
任何謠言都不能成為未經同意張貼私照的藉口。
Stress cannot excuse shouting at the younger players.
壓力大，也不能成為對年紀較小球員大吼的藉口。
文法句型
nothing excuses something
does not excuse something
cannot excuse something
用法筆記
Common in judgments about rules and behavior. Distinguish it from sense 1, where a person forgives the fault instead of arguing that the fault was acceptable.
excuses — 名詞
1. a reason someone gives to explain bad behavior, a broken promise, or another fau
辯解
為錯事提出的理由
a reason someone gives to explain bad behavior, a broken promise, or another fault
The principal rejected all excuses for the missing library books.
校長不接受任何關於圖書館書本遺失的辯解。
excuses for + problem
Kian offered three excuses for arriving after the school gate closed.
Kian 對校門關上後才到，提出了三個辯解。
The report listed no excuses for the broken safety lock.
報告裡沒有列出任何關於安全鎖壞掉的辯解。
Her parents were tired of hearing excuses about the lost key.
她的父母已經聽膩了關於鑰匙弄丟的辯解。
文法句型
an excuse for something
offer excuses for something
用法筆記
This sense can describe a true or partly true explanation. Distinguish it from sense 2, which suggests the reason is not believable.
2. an explanation you do not really believe, used to hide the real reason
藉口
不真實或站不住腳的理由
an explanation you do not really believe, used to hide the real reason
Everyone knew traffic was only an excuse for skipping rehearsal.
大家都知道，塞車只是翹掉排練的藉口。
use something as an excuse
The broken printer became his excuse for missing the deadline.
印表機壞掉成了他錯過截止日的藉口。
Sleepiness was a weak excuse for not calling her grandmother.
想睡覺不是不打電話給外婆的好藉口。
The team laughed when rain became another excuse to cancel practice.
下雨又成了球隊取消練習的另一個藉口。
文法句型
an excuse for something
use something as an excuse
用法筆記
This sense is negative and often implies that the speaker does not accept the reason. It is stronger than sense 1.
3. a message or written note saying why someone cannot come to school, work, or ano
請假條
說明缺席原因的便條或訊息
a message or written note saying why someone cannot come to school, work, or another event
Rafael brought two excuses from home after last week's illness.
Rafael 上週生病後，從家裡帶來兩張請假條。
bring an excuse from home
The coach collected excuses before marking the swimmers absent.
教練在把游泳隊員記成缺席前，先收了請假條。
Parents must email excuses to the office before noon.
家長必須在中午前把請假條寄到辦公室。
The school nurse filed all excuses in a blue folder.
校護把所有請假條收進藍色資料夾裡。
文法句型
bring an excuse
send an excuse to school
用法筆記
Often used in school settings for a short note or message about an absence. Distinguish it from sense 1, which is the explanation itself rather than the note carrying it.
4. reasons, often not honest ones, that people give to avoid doing something
推託
為逃避事情而找的理由
reasons, often not honest ones, that people give to avoid doing something
Sivan ran out of excuses for not cleaning the shared kitchen.
Sivan 已經沒有不打掃共用廚房的推託了。
run out of excuses
The committee was tired of excuses for delaying the repair work.
委員會受夠了延後維修工程的那些推託。
Hiro made excuses to avoid calling the travel insurer.
Hiro 找了推託，好避開打電話給旅遊保險公司。
By Friday, the interns had no excuses left for missing training.
到了星期五，實習生已經沒有缺席訓練的推託了。
文法句型
make excuses to avoid something
run out of excuses
用法筆記
Usually plural and often suggests repeated avoidance. Distinguish it from sense 2, which can describe one specific false reason.