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Excuse vs Disguise - What's the difference?

excuse | disguise | Related terms |

Excuse is a related term of disguise.


As verbs the difference between excuse and disguise

is that excuse is while disguise is to change the appearance of (a person or thing) so as to hide, or to assume an identity.

As a noun disguise is

attire (eg clothing, makeup) used to hide one's identity or assume another.

excuse

English

Verb

(excus)
  • To forgive; to pardon.
  • I excused him his transgressions.
  • * Shakespeare
  • I must excuse what cannot be amended.
  • * Archbishop Sharp
  • A man's persuasion that a thing is duty, will not excuse him from guilt in practising it, if really and indeed it be against God's law.
  • To allow to leave.
  • May I be excused from the table?
    I excused myself from the proceedings to think over what I'd heard.
  • To provide an excuse for; to explain, with the aim of alleviating guilt or negative judgement.
  • You know he shouldn't have done it, so don't try to excuse his behavior!
  • To relieve of an imputation by apology or defense; to make apology for as not seriously evil; to ask pardon or indulgence for.
  • * Bible, 2. Corinthians xii. 19
  • Think ye that we excuse ourselves to you?

    Synonyms

    * forgive, let off the hook, let pass, pardon, unguilt

    Derived terms

    * excuse me * excuse my French

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment.
  • Tell me why you were late – and I don't want to hear any excuses !
  • (legal) A defense to a criminal or civil charge wherein the accused party admits to doing acts for which legal consequences would normally be appropriate, but asserts that special circumstances relieve that party of culpability for having done those acts.
  • An example.(attention)
  • That thing is a poor excuse for a gingerbread man. Hasn't anyone taught you how to bake?
    He's a sorry excuse of a doctor.

    Usage notes

    * We often say to make an excuse.

    Synonyms

    * (explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment ): pretext

    disguise

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Attire (e.g. clothing, makeup) used to hide one's identity or assume another.
  • ''That cape and mask complete his disguise .
  • (figuratively) The appearance of something on the outside which masks what's beneath.
  • The act of disguising, notably as a ploy
  • ''Any disguise may expose soldiers to be deemed enemy spies.

    Synonyms

    * camouflage * guise * mask * pretense

    Verb

  • To change the appearance of (a person or thing) so as to hide, or to assume an identity.
  • Spies often disguise themselves.
  • * Macaulay
  • Bunyan was forced to disguise himself as a wagoner.
  • To avoid giving away or revealing (something secret); to hide by a false appearance.
  • He disguised his true intentions.
  • (archaic) To affect or change by liquor; to intoxicate.
  • * Spectator
  • I have just left the right worshipful, and his myrmidons, about a sneaker or five gallons; the whole magistracy was pretty well disguised before I gave them the ship.

    Synonyms

    * cloak * mask * hide

    Derived terms

    * disguisedly * disguisement * disguiser