—v. (-sing) 1 try to lessen the blame attaching to (a person, act, or fault).

- (of a fact) serve as a reason to judge (a person or act) less severely.

- (often foll. By from) release (a person) from a duty etc.

- forgive (a fault or offence).

- (foll. By for) forgive (a person) for (a fault).

- refl. Leave with apologies. —n. - reason put forward to mitigate or justify an offence.

- apology (made my excuses). be excused be allowed to leave the room etc. Or be absent. Excuse me polite preface to an interruption etc., or to disagreeing. excusable adj. [latin causa accusation]

—adj. (often foll. By from) free from an obligation or liability etc. Imposed on others. —v. (foll. By from) make exempt. exemption n. [latin eximo -empt- take out]

v. (as a stage direction) (actors) leave the stage. [latin: related to *exit]

v. (-ling) 1 breathe out.

- give off or be given off in vapour. exhalation n. [french from latin halo breathe]

v. (often foll. By to + infin.) Urge strongly or earnestly. exhortation n. Exhortative adj. Exhortatory adj. [latin exhortor encourage]

v. (-ming) dig up (esp. A buried corpse). exhumation n. [latin humus ground]

n. - mass departure.

- (exodus) biblical departure of the israelites from egypt. [greek hodos way]

—adj. - introduced from a foreign country; not native.

- strange or unusual. —n. Exotic person or thing. exotically adv. [greek exo outside]

v. - increase in size or importance.

- (often foll. By on) give a fuller account.

- become more genial.

- set or write out in full.

- spread out flat. expandable adj. [latin pando pans- spread]

v. - a regard as likely. B look for as appropriate or one's due (i expect cooperation).

- colloq. Think, suppose. be expecting colloq. Be pregnant (with). [latin specto look]