making and accepting apologies

English translation unavailable for making and accepting apologies.

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overlook

overlook [verb] (FORGIVE)

to forgive or pretend not to notice something

US

/ˌoʊ.vɚˈlʊk/

UK

/ˌəʊ.vəˈlʊk/

Example:

I'm prepared to overlook his behaviour this time.

Oxford Essential Dictionary

overlook

verb (overlooks, overlooking, overlooked )

1 to not see or notice something:
He overlooked one important fact.

2 to have a view over something:
My room overlooks the garden.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

overlook

o‧ver‧look /ˌəʊvəˈlʊk $ ˌoʊvər-/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1. to not notice something, or not see how important it is SYN miss:
It is easy to overlook a small detail like that.
Nobody could overlook the fact that box office sales were down.
2. to forgive someone’s mistake, bad behaviour etc and take no action:
She found him entertaining enough to overlook his faults.
3. if a house, room etc overlooks something, it has a view of it, usually from above:
Our room overlooks the ocean.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

overlook

over·look [overlook overlooks overlooked overlooking] [ˌəʊvəˈlʊk] [ˌoʊvərˈlʊk] verb
1. ~ sth to fail to see or notice sth
Syn: miss
• He seems to have overlooked one important fact.

• In my hurry to finish the exam I had overlooked part of one of the questions.

2. ~ sth to see sth wrong or bad but decide to ignore it
Syn: turn a blind eye to
• We could not afford to overlook such a serious offence.

• He's so friendly people are prepared to overlook his faults.

3. ~ sth if a building, etc. overlooks a place, you can see that place from the building
• a restaurant overlooking the lake

• Our back yard is overlooked by several houses.

4. ~ sb (for sth) to not consider sb for a job or position, even though they might be suitable
Syn: pass over
• She's been overlooked for promotion several times.

Example Bank:
• Hospitals have tended to overlook this need.
• I was prepared to overlook her mistakes this time.
• It is easy to overlook the significance of this change.
• The importance of this should not be overlooked.
• We should not overlook this possibility.
• another fact which is all too easily overlooked
• He's so friendly people are prepared to overlook his faults.

• That's a point which should not be overlooked.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

overlook / ˌəʊ.vəˈlʊk / / ˌoʊ.vɚ- / verb [ T ] (FORGIVE)

to forgive or pretend not to notice something:

I'm prepared to overlook his behaviour this time.

overlook / ˌəʊ.vəˈlʊk / / ˌoʊ.vɚ- / verb [ T ] (VIEW)

B2 to provide a view of, especially from above:

Our hotel room overlooked the harbour.

The house is surrounded by trees, so it's not overlooked at all (= it cannot be seen from any other buildings) .

overlook / ˌəʊ.vəˈlʊk / / ˌoʊ.vɚ- / verb [ T ] (NOT NOTICE)

C2 to fail to notice or consider something or someone:

I think there is one key fact that you have overlooked.

No one will be overlooked in the selection of the team.

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

overlook

[o͟ʊvə(r)l'ʊk]
overlooks, overlooking, overlooked
1) VERB If a building or window overlooks a place, you can see the place clearly from the building or window.
  [V n] Pretty and comfortable rooms overlook a flower-filled garden...
  [V-ing] Jack Aldwych lived in a huge, old two-storeyed house overlooking Harbord.
  Syn:
  look over
2) VERB If you overlook a fact or problem, you do not notice it, or do not realize how important it is.
  [V n] We overlook all sorts of warning signals about our own health.
  [V n] ...a fact that we all tend to overlook.
3) VERB If you overlook someone's faults or bad behaviour, you forgive them and take no action.
  [V n] ...satisfying relationships that enable them to overlook each other's faults.
  Syn:
  excuse

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

overlook

over·look /ˌoʊvɚˈlʊk/ verb -looks; -looked; -look·ing [+ obj]
1 a : to fail to see or notice (something)
• The detective overlooked an important clue.
b : to pay no attention to (something)
• She learned to overlook [=ignore] her boyfriend's minor faults.
• Such a crime should not be overlooked.
2 : to not consider (someone) for a job, position, promotion, etc.
• The quarterback was overlooked by other teams.
- often + for
• I was overlooked for a promotion.
3 a : to rise above (something)
• the mountains that overlook the village
b : to have a view looking down at (something)
• We rented a suite that overlooks the lake.

American English

British English

making and accepting apologies

B2 (Upper-intermediate)

verb

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excuse

US

/ɪkˈskjuːz/

UK

/ɪkˈskjuːz/

Example:

Excuse me!

to forgive someone for something bad that they have done, especially something that is not very serious

Persian equivalent:

Click here.

Example:

Excuse me, may I open the window?

Theme, CEFR level & Tags

Theme:

making and accepting apologies

Level:

B1 (Intermediate)

Region:

American English

British English

Oxford Essential Dictionary

excuse

verb (excuses, excusing, excused )
used when you are saying sorry for something that is not very bad:
Please excuse us for being late – we missed the bus.

excuse me You use excuse me when you want to stop somebody who is speaking, or when you want to speak to somebody you do not know. You can also use excuse me to say that you are sorry:
Excuse me, could you tell me the time?
Did I stand on your foot? Excuse me.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

excuse

I. ex‧cuse1 S1 /ɪkˈskjuːz/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[Word Family: verb: excuse; noun: excuse; adverb: inexcusably; adjective: excusable ≠ inexcusable]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: excuser, from Latin excusare, from causa 'cause, explanation']
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 rude or embarrassing:
Oh, excuse me. I didn’t know anyone was here.
c) used to ask someone politely to move so that you can walk past:
Excuse me, could I just squeeze past?
d) used to politely tell someone that you are leaving a place:
Excuse me a moment. I’ll be right back.
e) used when you disagree with someone but want to be polite about it SYN I’m sorry:
Excuse me, but I don’t think that’s what he meant at all.
f) American English used to show that you disagree with someone or are very surprised or upset by what they have just said:
‘You’re going to pay, right?’ ‘Excuse me?’
g) especially American English used to ask someone to repeat something that they have just said SYN pardon me:
‘What time is it?’ ‘Excuse me?’ ‘I asked you what time it is.’
2. FORGIVE to forgive someone for doing something that is not seriously wrong, such as being rude or careless:
I’ll excuse you this time, but don’t be late again.
Please excuse my bad handwriting.
excuse somebody for (doing) something
Please excuse me for being so late today.
Smith can be excused for his lack of interest in the course (=his lack of interest is reasonable).
REGISTER
In informal situations, people often say sorry about …, sorry for doing ... or sorry I … rather than asking someone to excuse something:
▪ Sorry about my handwriting.
▪ Sorry for being so late. OR Sorry I’m so late.
3. FROM A DUTY [usually passive] to allow someone not to do something that they are supposed to do
excuse somebody from (doing) something
Can I be excused from swimming today? I have a cold.
4. EXPLAIN to be or give a good reason for someone’s careless or offensive behaviour:
Nothing can excuse that kind of rudeness.
5. FROM A PLACE to give someone permission to leave a place:
May I please be excused from the table?
6. excuse yourself to say politely that you need to leave a place:
Richard excused himself and went to his room.
7. excuse me (for living)! spoken used when someone has offended you or told you that you have done something wrong

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

verb [ɪkˈskjuːz] ; [ɪkˈskjuːz]
1. to forgive sb for sth that they have done, for example not being polite or making a small mistake
• ~ sth Please excuse the mess.
• ~ sb You must excuse my father— he's not always that rude.
• ~ sb for sth/for doing sth I hope you'll excuse me for being so late.
• (BrE) You might be excused for thinking that Ben is in charge (= he is not, but it is an easy mistake to make).

• ~ sb doing sth (formal) Excuse my interrupting you.

2. ~ sth | ~ sb/yourself (for sth/for doing sth) to make your or sb else's behaviour seem less offensive by finding reasons for it
Syn: justify

• Nothing can excuse such rudeness.

3. ~ sb/yourself (from sth) to allow sb to leave; to say in a polite way that you are leaving
• Now if you'll excuse me, I'm a very busy man.

• She excused herself and left the meeting early.

4. usually passive ~ sb (from sth/from doing sth) | ~ sb sth to allow sb to not do sth that they should normally do
• She was excused from giving evidence because of her age.
more at excuse/pardon my French at French n.
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French escuser (verb), from Latin excusare ‘to free from blame’, from ex- ‘out’ + causa ‘accusation, cause’.
Thesaurus:
excuse verb T
• Please excuse the mess.
forgive • • pardon • • condone •
Opp: condemn
excuse/forgive/pardon/condone sb for sth
excuse/forgive/condone sb's behaviour
Excuse/Forgive/Pardon my ignorance.
Example Bank:
• He tried to excuse his behaviour as ‘a bit of harmless fun’.
• I asked her to excuse me for my late arrival.
• You'll have to excuse Harriet— she's having a difficult time at work.
• I hope you'll excuse me for being so late.
• You might be excused for thinking that Victoria is in charge.

• You'll have to excuse my father— he's not always that rude.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

excuse / ɪkˈskjuːz / verb [ T ]

B1 to forgive someone:

Please excuse me for arriving late - the bus was delayed.

Nothing can excuse that sort of behaviour.

No amount of financial recompense can excuse the way in which the company carried out its policy.

We cannot excuse him for these crimes.

I asked the teacher if I could be excused from (= allowed not to do) football practice as my knee still hurt.

Please excuse me from (= allow me to miss) the rest of the meeting - I've just received a phone call that requires my immediate attention.

excuse me A1 a polite way of attracting someone's attention, especially of someone you do not know:

Excuse me, does this bus go to Oxford Street?

used to politely ask someone to move so that you can walk past them:

Excuse me, can I just get past?

used to tell someone politely that you are leaving:

Excuse me a moment, I'll be with you shortly.

A2 used to say sorry for something you have done by accident:

Did I take your seat? Do excuse me.

said before disagreeing with someone:

Excuse me but aren't you forgetting something?

US ( UK pardon? , I beg your pardon? ) used to politely ask someone to repeat something they have said because you have not heard it

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

excuse
excuses, excusing, excused
(The noun is pronounced [ɪkskju͟ːs]. The verb is pronounced [ɪkskju͟ːz].)
1) N-COUNT: oft N for n/-ing, N to-inf An excuse is a reason which you give in order to explain why something has been done or has not been done, or in order to avoid doing something.
  It is easy to find excuses for his indecisiveness...
  Once I had had a baby I had the perfect excuse to stay at home...
  If you stop making excuses and do it you'll wonder what took you so long.
  Syn:
  justification
  ●
  PHRASE: v-link PHR, oft PHR for n/-ing 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. (disapproval)
  There's no excuse for behaviour like that...
  Solitude was no excuse for sloppiness.
2) VERB To excuse someone or excuse their behaviour means to provide reasons for their actions, especially when other people disapprove of these actions.
  [V n by -ing] He excused himself by saying he was `forced to rob to maintain my wife and cat'...
  [V n] That doesn't excuse my mother's behaviour.
  Syn:
  justify
3) VERB If you excuse someone for something wrong that they have done, you forgive them for it.
  [V n for n/-ing] Many people might have excused them for shirking some of their responsibilities. [Also V n, V n n]
  Syn:
  forgive
4) VERB: usu passive If someone is excused from a duty or responsibility, they are told that they do not have to carry it out.
  [be V-ed from n/-ing] She is usually excused from her duties during the school holidays...
  [be V-ed n] She was excused duties on Saturday.
5) VERB If you excuse yourself, you use a phrase such as `Excuse me' as a polite way of saying that you are about to leave.
  [V pron-refl] He excused himself and went up to his room.
6) CONVENTION (formulae) You say `Excuse me' when you want to politely get someone's attention, especially when you are about to ask them a question.
  Excuse me, but are you Mr Honig?
  Syn:
  pardon me
7) CONVENTION (formulae) You use excuse me to apologize to someone when you have disturbed or interrupted them.
  Excuse me interrupting, but there's a thing I feel I've got to say.
8) CONVENTION (politeness) 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.
  `Excuse me,' she said to Jarvis, and left the room...
  Now if you'll excuse me, I've got work to do.
9) CONVENTION You use excuse me, but to indicate that you are about to disagree with someone. [mainly BRIT]
  Excuse me, but I want to know what all this has to do with us.
10) PHRASE (formulae) You say excuse me to apologize when you have bumped into someone, or when you need to move past someone in a crowd.
  Saying excuse me, pardon me, Seaton pushed his way into the crowded living room.
  Syn:
  sorry
11) CONVENTION (formulae) You say excuse me to apologize when you have done something slightly embarrassing or impolite, such as burping, hiccupping, or sneezing.
  Syn:
  pardon me
12) CONVENTION (formulae) You say `Excuse me?' to show that you want someone to repeat what they have just said. [AM](in BRIT, usually use pardon, sorry)

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

¹ex·cuse /ɪkˈskjuːz/ verb -cus·es; -cused; -cus·ing [+ obj]
1 : to forgive someone for making a mistake, doing something wrong, etc.,
• Please excuse [=pardon] my clumsiness.
• His boss excused the mistake but told him to be more careful next time.
• Please excuse me for not calling sooner.
2 a : to say that (someone) is not required to do something
• I was excused from jury duty.
• The teacher excused the class from homework that day.
b : to allow (someone, such as a child) to leave
• I've finished my dinner. May I (please) be excused? [=allowed to leave the dinner table]
3 : to be an acceptable reason for (something) : justify
• Nothing can excuse that kind of rudeness.
• Her father's illness excused her absence.
excuse me
✦Excuse me is used as a polite way of starting to say something. It can be used when you are interrupting someone, trying to get someone's attention, or disagreeing with someone.
• Excuse me, but may I say something?
• Excuse me, but do you mind if I shut the window?
• Excuse me, do you know where I can find Maple Street?
• Excuse me, but I don't think those figures are entirely accurate. It is also used as a polite apology for a minor fault or offense, such as laughing, coughing, or burping, and, in U.S. English, for getting in someone's way or bumping into someone.
• Oh, excuse me. [=pardon me, I beg your pardon] I didn't notice you standing there. The phrase is also used, especially in U.S. English, as a polite way of asking someone to repeat something.
• Excuse me? [=pardon me?; I beg your pardon?] I didn't hear the last part of what you were saying. In informal use, excuse me is often used in an annoyed way when someone has suggested that you have done something wrong and you do not feel that you have.
• “You were supposed to be home an hour ago.” “Well, excuse me! I had to fix a flat tire.”
excuse yourself : to say politely that you have to leave
• Excusing himself, he quickly rose from the table and left the room.
- ex·cus·able /ɪkˈskjuːzəbəl/ adj
• Such minor errors are excusable.