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excuse me

idiom · idiom

Pluralexcuse mes

7 meanings of excuse me

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  1. 1
    getting attentionidiom
    Said politely to ask a particular person for their attention.

    Excuse me, could you tell me what time the museum opens?

    Excuse me, are you the person in charge of the event?

  2. 2
    getting pastidiom
    Said politely to ask someone to let you pass them.

    Excuse me, could I squeeze past you to the window seat?

    Excuse me, this is my stop. Can I slip by?

  3. 3
    apologyidiom
    Said to apologize to someone, in the same way as sorry.

    Excuse me. I didn't mean to interrupt your call.

    Excuse me, I think I took your seat by mistake.

  4. 4
    please repeatidiomCanadaUS
    Said to ask someone to repeat what they have just said.

    Excuse me? The line cut out for a second. What was the address?

    Excuse me? I couldn't hear you over the music.

    Note

    As a question, Excuse me? asks for a repeat mainly in American and Canadian speech. The same two words, said with an edge, become the indignant challenge, so the voice carries most of the meaning: a puzzled tone asks for the address again, a sharp one objects to what was said.

  5. 5
    shocked replyidiomCanadaUS
    Said as if asking someone to repeat what they said, to show disbelief or indignation at it.

    Excuse me? Did you just tell me to calm down?

    You want me to work the whole weekend for free? Excuse me?

    Note

    Here the request is a pretense, and everyone knows it: the remark was heard, and asking for it again tells the speaker it was out of line. That makes it a pointed reply, close to a rebuke, so it lands hard when aimed at a stranger or a boss, and it usually stands alone as a one-line answer.

  6. 6
    leaving earlyidiomformal
    Said when taking leave of others unexpectedly or earlier than they might expect.

    Excuse me, I'm afraid I must leave early; I have an appointment at four.

    Please excuse me, I've just had a call from the hospital and must go at once.

  7. 7
    old danceidiomcountable
    An old-fashioned dance in which partners are changed again and again.

    The evening ended with an excuse me, so no one spent the last dance alone.

    The village hall still holds an excuse me at its spring dance.

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