An excuse; something said or written in defense or extenuation of what appears to others wrong, or unjustifiable; or of what may be liable to disapprobation. It may be an extenuation of what is not perfectly justifiable, or a vindication of what is or may be disapproved, but which the apologist deems to be right. A man makes an apology for not fulfilling an engagement, or for publishing a pamphlet. An apology then is a reason or reasons assigned for what is wrong or may appear to be wrong, and it may be either an extenuation or a justification of something that is or may be censured, by those who are not acquainted with the reasons.
Word of the Day: Catachrestical
1. Something said or written in defense or justification of what appears to others wrong, or of what may be liable to disapprobation; justification; as, Tertullian's Apology for Christianity.
2. An acknowledgment intended as an atonement for some improper or injurious remark or act; an admission to another of a wrong or discourtesy done him, accompanied by an expression of regret.
3. Anything provided as a substitute; a makeshift.
To offer an apology.
Vindication Roget’s Thesaurus §937
N. vindication, justification, warrant, # exoneration, exculpation, acquittal, whitewashing, extenuation, palliation, palliative, softening, mitigation, reply, defense, recrimination, apology, gloss, varnish, plea, salvo, excuse, extenuating circumstances, allowance, allowance to be made, locus paenitentiae, apologist, vindicator, justifier, defendant, justifiable charge, true bill, v, justify, warrant, be an excuse, for, lend a color, furnish a handle, vindicate, exculpate, disculpate, acquit, clear, set right, exonerate, whitewash, clear the skirts of, extenuate, palliate, excuse, soften, apologize, varnish, slur, gloze, put a gloss, put a good face upon, mince, gloss over, bolster up, help a lame dog over a stile, advocate, defend, plead one's cause, stand up for, stick up for, speak up for, contend for, speak for, bear out, keep in countenance, support, plead &c, 617, say in defense, plead ignorance, confess and avoid, propugn, put in a good word for, take the will for the deed, make allowance for, give credit for, do justice to, give one his due, give the devil his due, make good, prove the truth of, prove one's case, be justified by the event
Adj. vindicated, vindicating, exculpatory, apologetic, excusable, defensible, pardonable, venial, veniable, specious, plausible, justifiable
Phr. "honi sot qui mal y pense", "good wine needs no bush."
Penitence Roget’s Thesaurus §950
N. penitence, contrition, compunction, repentance, remorse, regret, self-reproach, self-reproof, self-accusation, self-condemnation, self- humiliation, stings of conscience, pangs of conscience, qualms of conscience, prickings of conscience, twinge of conscience, twitch of conscience, touch of conscience, voice of conscience, compunctious visitings of nature, acknowledgment, confession, apology, recantation, penance, resipiscence|, awakened conscience, deathbed repentance, locus paenitentiae, stool of repentance, cuttystool, penitent, repentant, magdalen, prodigal son, "a sadder and a wiser man"
V. repent, be sorry for, be penitent, rue, regret, think better of, recant, knock under, plead guilty, sing miserere, sing de profundis, cry peccavi, own oneself in the wrong, acknowledge, confess &c, (disclose) 529, humble oneself, beg pardon, turn over a new leaf, put on the new man, turn from sin, reclaim, repent in sackcloth and ashes &c, (do penance) 952, learn by experience
Adj. penitent, repenting, repentant, contrite, conscience- smitten, conscience-stricken, self-accusing, self-convicted, penitential, penitentiary, reclaimed, reborn, not hardened, unhardened
Adv. mea culpa
Phr. peccavi, erubuit, salva res est, tu l'as voulu, georges dandin, "and wet his grave with my repentant tears"
Atonement Roget’s Thesaurus §952
N. atonement, reparation, compromise, composition, compensation, quittance, quits, expiation, redemption, reclamation, conciliation, propitiation, indemnification, redress, amends, apology, amende honorable, satisfaction, peace offering, sin offering, burnt offering, scapegoat, sacrifice, penance, fasting, maceration, sackcloth and ashes, white sheet, shrift, flagellation, lustration, purgation, purgatory
V. atone, atone for, expiate, propitiate, make amends, make good, reclaim, redeem, repair, ransom, absolve, purge, shrive, do penance, stand in a white sheet, repent in sackcloth and ashes, wear a hairshirt, set one's house in order, wipe off old scores, make matters up, pay the forfeit, pay the penalty, apologize, beg pardon, fair l'amende honorable, give satisfaction, come down on one's knees, fall down on one's knees, down on one's marrow bones, 4, moral practice
No Bible verses found for "Apology".