Reverse Dictionary: EXCUSE

ADJECTIVES
► ATWIXT AND ATWEEN shuffling, full of excuses → Bk1898 Eng. dial.
► CAFFLING prevaricating, excusing → Bk1898 Eng. dial.
► DOWF of an excuse: unconvincing, feeble → L18 obs.
► VENIAL easily excused or forgiven → 13C 

NOUNS
► ALIBI an excuse, pretext, or justification → 1857 colloq.
► AUNTER a pretense, needless scruple, excuse, hesitation → 1703 Eng. dial.
► BACKSET an excuse, a colourable pretext → 1862 Eng. dial.
► BALLAD an excuse → 1970 US homosexual sl. (Bk.)
► BLUFF an excuse, a pretense; talk intended to mystify or deceive → M19
► CAKEY BAR an excuse; a ‘tale’ → sl.
► CLAW-OFF an excuse → 1929 Amer. dial.
► COP-OUT a poor excuse to get out of something → Bk2006 US sl.
► ESSOIN an excuse or exemption
► FAIRY STORY a ‘hard luck’ tale; any unlikely tale; a downright lie or excuse → 20C colloq.
► FAIRY TALE a ‘hard luck’ tale; any unlikely tale; an unbelievable lie or excuse → 20C colloq.
► FALDERAL an idle fancy; conceit, nonsense; a trifling excuse; a falsehood → 1865 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► FALDERUMDAL an idle fancy, a vagary; a fuss about trifles; a trifling excuse → 1866 Sc.
► FIMBLE-FAMBLE a poor excuse or an unsatisfactory answer → 19C sl.
► HAIR TO MAKE A TETHER OF, A a slight pretext of which to make a great deal; a fuss about nothing, a trifle used as an excuse → 1727
► IFING-AND-BUTTINGS invalid excuses; hesitation combined with unwillingness → Bk1905 Eng. dial.
► LAME TALE an excuse; a false story; a misrepresentation → Bk1902 Eng. dial.
► MAKE-SHIFT an excuse → Bk1905 Eng. dial.
► MIDGE-GO-MORRAH hesitation, doubt, excuse → Bk1905 Eng. dial.
► MONDAY MORNING HEADACHE an imaginary illness used as an excuse to avoid work or school → 1967 Amer. dial.
► MONDAY MORNING SICKNESS an imaginary illness used as an excuse to avoid work or school → 1967 Amer. dial.
► MONDAY SICKNESS an imaginary illness used as an excuse to avoid work or school → 1967 Amer. dial.
► OFFCOME a way of ‘getting off’; an excuse → a1700 Sc.
► OFF-PUT an excuse, an evasion, a pretext, a reason for delay → 1730 Sc.
► OFF-SET an excuse, pretense → 1768 Sc.
► OFF-TIME JIVE a weak excuse → 1944 African-American sl.
► ONE an excuse → 1950s sl.  
► SABBATH DAY’S JOURNEY a short walk; also, ironically, an excuse for not stirring → B1900
► SALVE a solution of a difficulty; also, a sophistical excuse or evasion → a1628 obs.
► SALVO a solution, explanation of a difficulty; an answer to an objection; an excuse or evasion → 1659 obs.
► SAUNTER a foolish scruple, an excuse, a shilly-shally → 1837 Sc.
► SCONCE a pretext; an apology, an excuse; a trick; deception → Bk1904 Eng. dial.
► SNOW JOB an act of deception; a lie; an excuse; strong and persistent persuasion, esp. in a dubious cause → 1940s US sl.
► WHIPPER-TOOTIES silly scruples about doing anything; groundless excuses for not trying to do something; frivolous difficulties → 1808 Sc.

​NOUNS – PERSON
► CAFFLER a shuffler, an excuse maker → 1892 Eng. dial.
► PALLIATOR a person who palliates or offers an excuse; an extenuator; an apologist → 1792

PHRASES
► BLONDE BOUND held up by a woman; an excuse for being late on the job → 1958 Amer. logging usage
► EXCUSES ARE LIKE ASSHOLES, EVERYONE HAS ONE AND THEY ALL STINK said of a poor excuse → 1985 Amer. sl.
► PARDON MY FRENCH a phrase signifying ‘please excuse my use of swear words or taboo words’ → 20C Brit. & US colloq.

VERBS
► ALIBI AWAY ► ALIBI OUT to excuse oneself speciously; usually with ‘out’ or ‘away’ → 1917 Amer. dial.
► ALIBI UP to provide an excuse for → 1910 sl.
► CLAW OFF to make excuses; to get out of an embarrassing or threatening situation → 1892 Amer. dial.
► CLAW OUT to make excuses or extricate oneself from a difficult situation → 1890 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► COVER ONESELF WITH A WET SACK to make vain excuses → a1651 obs.
► FAIK to excuse, to let go with impunity → 1789 Sc.
► FALDERAL to make trifling excuses; to behave in a giddy, pedantic manner → 1866 Sc.
► FIND FISH ON ONE’S FINGERS to find and/or allege an excuse → L16 colloq.
► LET SOMEONE OFF THE HOOK to excuse someone from punishment → 1960s sl.
► PLEAD THE BABY ACT to attempt to excuse excessive or feigned ignorance or stupidity on the ground of inexperience; to enter a plea that one is not legally responsible by reason of youth or inexperience → 1868 Amer.
► PRETEX to use as a pretext or excuse; to pretend, to feign → 1545 obs.