Thread: "to excuse" - meaning

I've been listening to the Euro 2008 Holland-Russia radio commentary and was somewhat taken aback by the usage of a word "excuse".

"The thing is, that the linesman had already flagged for a goal kick, but I don't think that can excuse the second yellow card."

Logically, it should mean something like "to withdraw" or "to cancel" or "to revoke". Does it, really? Or maybe it was just an unfortunate phrasing? I understand it as "to justify" or "to warrant" but it wouldn't make sense.

Here's the whole episode, for the sake of context:
http://www.2shared.com/file/3497015/782 ... ssia1.html

Originally Posted by E-learner

I've been listening to the Euro 2008 Holland-Russia radio commentary and was somewhat taken aback by the usage of a word "excuse".

"The thing is, that the linesman had already flagged for a goal kick, but I don't think that can excuse the second yellow card."

Logically, it should mean something like "to withdraw" or "to cancel" or "to revoke". Does it, really? Or maybe it was just an unfortunate phrasing? I understand it as "to justify" or "to warrant" but it wouldn't make sense.

Here's the whole episode, for the sake of context:
http://www.2shared.com/file/3497015/782 ... ssia1.html

to excuse = to justify, i think
am I right?

Originally Posted by Ramil

to excuse = to justify, i think

Now that I think about it, this solution does make sense, but at the moment it didn't even occur to me, and I know why.
It would mean that the commentator didn't agree with that yellow card but I was sure that he didn't agree with questioning of its validity, hence my logic. This might have been my mistake but I'm not at all sure.

Originally Posted by E-learner

Originally Posted by Ramil

to excuse = to justify, i think

Now that I think about it, this solution does make sense, but at the moment it didn't even occur to me, and I know why.
It would mean that the commentator didn't agree with that yellow card but I was sure that he didn't agree with questioning of its validity, hence my logic. This might have been my mistake but I'm not at all sure.

Точно.

It means to forgive/forget about/take back/not count/revoke (but in a more positive sense), in this context, I would say.

Based on the way he says it (that's what's most important) it sounds like he means this:

The player committed a foul and the ref pulled the second yellow card - but since, I guess, the linesman flagged the play beforehand, the card should not count. The commentator is wondering if the second yellow will count since the play was called.

So (taking into context the way the commentator says it): The linesman flagged for a goal kick but does that or does that not mean the referee will revoke the yellow card.

Excuse something is a commonly used phrase to mean forgive/forget about something.

For example:
Student says to teacher, "I know I'm always late, but will you excuse my latenesses when you write up my report card." = will you not count them.

ZelyeUrsuli
Thank you.
I understand your explanation thus: sometimes, as in my example, excuse could mean invalidate/make ineffective. Am I right?

Originally Posted by ZelyeUrsuli

It means to forgive/forget about/take back/not count/revoke (but in a more positive sense), in this context, I would say.

Based on the way he says it (that's what's most important) it sounds like he means this:

The player committed a foul and the ref pulled the second yellow card - but since, I guess, the linesman flagged the play beforehand, the card should not count. The commentator is wondering if the second yellow will count since the play was called.

So (taking into context the way the commentator says it): The linesman flagged for a goal kick but does that or does that not mean the referee will revoke the yellow card.

Excuse something is a commonly used phrase to mean forgive/forget about something.

For example:
Student says to teacher, "I know I'm always late, but will you excuse my latenesses when you write up my report card." = will you not count them.

Not really. You've listed the basic literal meanings of the verb. Acutally in this context it means "to justify".

Here's the verb used in the same manner but in a different context:

The p(a)edophile was abused himself as a child, but that does not excuse his actions.

excuse = justify.

Revoke = take back, it doesn't fit in this context, and nor does it in the football/soccer example given in the original post.

Originally Posted by TATY

Originally Posted by ZelyeUrsuli

It means to forgive/forget about/take back/not count/revoke (but in a more positive sense), in this context, I would say.

Based on the way he says it (that's what's most important) it sounds like he means this:

The player committed a foul and the ref pulled the second yellow card - but since, I guess, the linesman flagged the play beforehand, the card should not count. The commentator is wondering if the second yellow will count since the play was called.

So (taking into context the way the commentator says it): The linesman flagged for a goal kick but does that or does that not mean the referee will revoke the yellow card.

Excuse something is a commonly used phrase to mean forgive/forget about something.

For example:
Student says to teacher, "I know I'm always late, but will you excuse my latenesses when you write up my report card." = will you not count them.

Not really. You've listed the basic literal meanings of the verb. Acutally in this context it means "to justify".

Here's the verb used in the same manner but in a different context:

The p(a)edophile was abused himself as a child, but that does not excuse his actions.

excuse = justify.

Revoke = take back, it doesn't fit in this context, and nor does it in the football/soccer example given in the original post.

I watched the game in question, and "revoke/ cancel" is exactly what he meant. It might not have been the best choice of word for that context, but it was live football commentary so it was close enough.

Originally Posted by E-learner

ZelyeUrsuli
Thank you.
I understand your explanation thus: sometimes, as in my example, excuse could mean invalidate/make ineffective. Am I right?

Sort of. There's more of a "forget it ever happened" air to it, in my opinion.

TATY - I was listing the meanings in the above context. It does mean justify but I wanted to clarify something.

The linesman flagging the play and the yellow card are unrelated. The word excuse is taking the place of "justify whether or not the referee will take back the card or if the card will count."

Originally Posted by ZelyeUrsuli

Originally Posted by E-learner

ZelyeUrsuli
Thank you.
I understand your explanation thus: sometimes, as in my example, excuse could mean invalidate/make ineffective. Am I right?

Sort of. There's more of a "forget it ever happened" air to it, in my opinion.

TATY - I was listing the meanings in the above context. It does mean justify but I wanted to clarify something.

The linesman flagging the play and the yellow card are unrelated. The word excuse is taking the place of "justify whether or not the referee will take back the card or if the card will count."

That's the problem, the referee can't revoke a yellow card. This is my problem with "excuse" meaning "revoke", because yellow cards are never revoke / cancelled, once they are given that's it.

Originally Posted by TATY

Originally Posted by ZelyeUrsuli

Originally Posted by E-learner

ZelyeUrsuli
Thank you.
I understand your explanation thus: sometimes, as in my example, excuse could mean invalidate/make ineffective. Am I right?

Sort of. There's more of a "forget it ever happened" air to it, in my opinion.

TATY - I was listing the meanings in the above context. It does mean justify but I wanted to clarify something.

The linesman flagging the play and the yellow card are unrelated. The word excuse is taking the place of "justify whether or not the referee will take back the card or if the card will count."

That's the problem, the referee can't revoke a yellow card. This is my problem with "excuse" meaning "revoke", because yellow cards are never revoke / cancelled, once they are given that's it.

He did revoke it though. He gave a (second) yellow card to Kolodin for a foul on Sneijder that was commited after the infraction for which the linesman was already flagging, and it being a second yellow card it was followed by a red and Kolodin was sent off. The commentator was wondering out loud whether the referee could or would rescind that second yellow card in light of the fact that the ball had actually gone out of play a few seconds before the foul was committed, and in the event he did just that and Kolodin was allowed to stay on the field.

So you can object to "excuse" meaning "revoke" all you like, that's exactly how it was used in this case.