Definitions HQ

An Excuse (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠is inadequate usually conceals an unconfessed motive.

An Excuse (n.) does ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not need to be consistent; offer three that cancel one another, and if any one is accepted you go free.

An Excuse (n.) multiplied ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠gives itself away — like the man who says he returned the kettle intact, that it already had a hole when he borrowed it, and that he never borrowed it.

An Excuse (n.) I ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠decided not to plead — “pressing work” (drukwerk), since no one believes that stock excuse — reappeared when I posted the card in the slot marked Drukwerk.

An Excuse (n.) such ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠as forgetting is an economy: the soldier pleads he forgot to polish his buttons, sparing himself the far worse punishment for 'I'm heartily sick of this wretched spit-and-polish.'