to make an excuse for sth

  • 1excuse — 1 verb (T) 1 excuse me spoken a) used when you want to get someone s attention politely, especially when you want to ask a question: Excuse me, can you tell me the way to the museum please? b) used to say that you are sorry for doing something… …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 2excuse — ex|cuse1 S2 [ıkˈskju:z] v [T] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1 excuse me 2¦(forgive)¦ 3¦(from a duty)¦ 4¦(explain)¦ 5¦(from a place)¦ 6 excuse yourself 7 excuse me (for living)! ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ [Date: 1400 1500; : Old French; Origin: excuser, from …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 3excuse*/*/ — [ɪkˈskjuːs] noun [C] I 1) a reason that you give to explain why you have done something bad, or why you have not done something that you should have done a reasonable/valid/legitimate excuse[/ex] He made some excuse about having a lot of work to… …

    Dictionary for writing and speaking English

  • 4excuse — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun 1 reason given ADJECTIVE ▪ perfect, wonderful ▪ excellent, good, great, legitimate, valid ▪ convincing …

    Collocations dictionary

  • 5make — 1 verb past tense and past participle made, PRODUCE STH 1 (T) to produce something by working: I m going to make a cake for Sam s birthday. | Did you make that dress yourself? | a car made in Japan | They re making a documentary about the Civil… …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 6ˌmake sth ˈup — phrasal verb 1) to invent something such as a story or an explanation He made up some excuse about the dog eating his homework.[/ex] She s good at making up stories for the children.[/ex] 2) make it up to sb to do something good that helps… …

    Dictionary for writing and speaking English

  • 7play — play1 W1S1 [pleı] v ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(children)¦ 2¦(sports/games)¦ 3¦(music)¦ 4¦(radio/cd etc)¦ 5¦(theatre/film)¦ 6 play a part/role 7 play ball 8¦(pretend)¦ 9¦(behave)¦ 10 play games …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 8know — know1 W1S1 [nəu US nou] v past tense knew [nju: US nu:] past participle known [nəun US noun] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(have information)¦ 2¦(be sure)¦ 3¦(be familiar with somebody/something)¦ 4¦(realize)¦ 5¦(skill/experience)¦ 6¦(know somebody s qualities)¦ 7… …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 9come — 1 /kVm/ verb past tense came past participle come MOVE 1 (I) a word meaning to move towards someone, or to visit or arrive at a place, used when the person speaking or the person listening is in that place: Come a little closer. | Sarah s coming… …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 10give — give1 W1S1 [gıv] v past tense gave [geıv] past participle given [ˈgıvən] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(present or money)¦ 2¦(put something in somebody s hand)¦ 3¦(let somebody do something)¦ 4¦(tell somebody something)¦ 5¦(make a movement/do an action)¦… …

    Dictionary of contemporary English