apology


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a·pol·o·gy

 (ə-pŏl′ə-jē)
n. pl. a·pol·o·gies
1. An acknowledgment expressing regret or asking pardon for a fault or offense: Please accept my apology for being so late.
2.
a. A formal justification or defense.
b. An explanation or excuse: "The consequence of those measures will be the best apology for my conduct" (Daniel Defoe).
3. An inferior substitute: The sagging cot was a poor apology for a bed.

[Latin apologia, from Greek apologiā : apo-, apo- + logos, speech; see leg- in Indo-European roots.]
Synonyms: apology, apologia, defense, justification
These nouns denote a statement that excuses or defends something, such as a past action or a policy: Their arguments amounted to an apology for capital punishment. The senators' apologia explained why they changed their position. We produced evidence in defense of the policy. Reducing energy costs was our main justification for replacing the windows.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

apology

(əˈpɒlədʒɪ)
n, pl -gies
1. an oral or written expression of regret or contrition for a fault or failing
2. a poor substitute or offering
3. another word for apologia
[C16: from Old French apologie, from Late Latin apologia, from Greek: a verbal defence, from apo- + logos speech]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

a•pol•o•gy

(əˈpɒl ə dʒi)

n., pl. -gies.
1. an expression of regret for having committed an error or rudeness.
2. a defense or justification of a cause or doctrine.
3. an inferior substitute; makeshift.
[1400–50; late Middle English apologe (< Middle French) < Late Latin apologia < Greek]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.apology - an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someoneapology - an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone; "he wrote a letter of apology to the hostess"
acknowledgement, acknowledgment - a statement acknowledging something or someone; "she must have seen him but she gave no sign of acknowledgment"; "the preface contained an acknowledgment of those who had helped her"
2.apology - a formal written defense of something you believe in stronglyapology - a formal written defense of something you believe in strongly
vindication, defense, defence - the justification for some act or belief; "he offered a persuasive defense of the theory"
3.apology - a poor example; "it was an apology for a meal"; "a poor excuse for an automobile"
example, instance, illustration, representative - an item of information that is typical of a class or group; "this patient provides a typical example of the syndrome"; "there is an example on page 10"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

apology

noun regret, explanation, excuse, confession, extenuation We received a letter of apology.
apology for something or someone mockery of, excuse for, imitation of, caricature of, travesty of, poor substitute for What an apology for a leader!
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

apology

noun
1. A statement of acknowledgment expressing regret or asking pardon:
excuse, mea culpa, regret (used in plural).
2. A statement that justifies or defends something, such as a past action or policy:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
إعْتِذاراِعْتِذاردفاع
omluva
undskyldningforsvar
anteeksipyyntöpahoittelupuolustuspuolustuskirjoitus
isprika
bocsánatkérés
afsökun
侘び詫び
사과
atsiprasau
opravičilo
ursäkt
คำขอโทษ
lời xin lỗi

apology

[əˈpɒlədʒɪ] N
1. (= expression of regret) → disculpa f
letter of apologycarta f de disculpa
I demand an apologyexijo una disculpa
to make or offer an apologydisculparse, presentar sus excusas (for por) to make no apology or apologies for sthno tener reparo en algo
I make no apologies for being bluntno tengo ningún reparo en serle franco
please accept my apologiesle ruego me disculpe
I owe you an apologyte debo una disculpa
to send an apology (at meeting) → presentar sus excusas
there are apologies from Gerry and Janese han excusado Gerry y Jane
2. (Literat) → apología f
3. (pej) an apology for a stewuna birria de guisado
this apology for a letterésta que apenas se puede llamar carta
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

apology

[əˈpɒlədʒi] n (= expression of regret) → excuses fpl
to send one's apologies → envoyer une lettre d'excuse, s'excuser (de ne pas pouvoir venir)
please accept my apologies → vous voudrez bien m'excuser
to make an apology → s'excuser
to make sb an apology, to make an apology to sb → s'excuser auprès de qn
to make one's apologies, to offer one's apologies → présenter ses excuses
to make no apologies for sth
I make no apologies for what I said → Je ne cherche pas à défendre ce que j'ai dit.
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

apology

n
(= expression of regret)Entschuldigung f; to make or offer somebody an apologyjdn um Verzeihung bitten; to make or offer one’s apologiessich entschuldigen; Mr Jones sends his apologiesHerr Jones lässt sich entschuldigen; I owe you an apologyich muss dich um Verzeihung bitten; are there any apologies?lässt sich jemand entschuldigen?; I make no apology or apologies for the fact that …ich entschuldige mich nicht dafür, dass …
(= poor substitute)trauriges or armseliges Exemplar (→ for +gen); an apology for a breakfastein armseliges Frühstück
(= defence)Rechtfertigung f, → Apologie f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

apology

[əˈpɒlədʒɪ] nscuse fpl
I demand an apology → esigo delle scuse
please accept my apologies → la prego di accettare le mie scuse
an apology for a lunch (pej) → un tentativo mal riuscito di pranzo
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

apologize,

apologise

(əˈpolədʒaiz) verb
to say that one is sorry, for having done something wrong, for a fault etc. I must apologize to her for my rudeness.
aˌpoloˈgetic (-ˈdʒetik) adjective
showing regret or saying one is sorry for having done something wrong etc. an apologetic letter.
aˌpoloˈgetically adverb
aˈpologyplural aˈpologies noun
Please accept my apology for not arriving on time; He made his apologies for not attending the meeting.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

apology

اِعْتِذار omluva undskyldning Entschuldigung συγγνώμη disculpa anteeksipyyntö excuses isprika scuse 詫び 사과 verontschuldiging unnskyldning przeprosiny desculpa извинение ursäkt คำขอโทษ özür lời xin lỗi 道歉
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
References in classic literature ?
In what relation the Apology of Plato stands to the real defence of Socrates, there are no means of determining.
In England alone, the incomprehensible and discourteous custom prevails of keeping the host and the dinner waiting for half an hour or more--without any assignable reason and without any better excuse than the purely formal apology that is implied in the words, "Sorry to be late."
She was permitted to remain, and presented with resolutions of apology.
She arose, climbing over Robert's feet with a muttered apology. Old Monsieur Farival, flurried, curious, stood up, but upon seeing that Robert had followed Mrs.
Hardyman acknowledged this frank apology as unreservedly as it had been offered to him.
The music-seller having taken leave of his senses from sheer astonishment, and I having no evening costume to appear in, we sent the doctor to make the necessary apology to the public, who were calling for her till the place rang again.
Though we have properly enough entitled this our work, a history, and not a life; nor an apology for a life, as is more in fashion; yet we intend in it rather to pursue the method of those writers, who profess to disclose the revolutions of countries, than to imitate the painful and voluminous historian, who, to preserve the regularity of his series, thinks himself obliged to fill up as much paper with the detail of months and years in which nothing remarkable happened, as he employs upon those notable aeras when the greatest scenes have been transacted on the human stage.
If I might offer any apology for so exaggerated a fiction as the Barnacles and the Circumlocution Office, I would seek it in the common experience of an Englishman, without presuming to mention the unimportant fact of my having done that violence to good manners, in the days of a Russian war, and of a Court of Inquiry at Chelsea.
Meg received his humble apology, and was much comforted by the assurance that Brooke knew nothing of the joke.
I mean to offer some kind of explanation, some kind of apology, for the past; to open my whole heart to you, and by convincing you, that though I have been always a blockhead, I have not been always a rascal, to obtain something like forgiveness from Ma--from your sister."
The necessity must be obeyed, and further apology would be absurd.
That Lady Russell, of steady age and character, and extremely well provided for, should have no thought of a second marriage, needs no apology to the public, which is rather apt to be unreasonably discontented when a woman does marry again, than when she does not; but Sir Walter's continuing in singleness requires explanation.