alibi definition - Dictionary

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alibi

al·i·bi [ állə b ]

noun (plural al·i·bis)

Definition:

1. accused's claim of having been elsewhere: a form of defense against an accusation in which the accused person claims or proves that he or she was somewhere else at the time that a crime was committed

2. somebody or something giving alibi: somebody or something used by an accused person to prove that he or she was somewhere else at the time that a crime was committed

3. excuse: an explanation offered to justify something ( informal )

transitive verb (past and past participle al·i·bied, present participle al·i·bi·ing, 3rd person present singular al·i·bis)

Definition:

give alibi for somebody: to provide an alibi or excuse for somebody

[Late 17th century. < Latin, "elsewhere"]

Word Usage


	alibi meaning "excuse": Alibi should only be used informally in the weakened meaning "an explanation offered to justify something," because it has a precise legal meaning that is in danger of being compromised. Avoid overuse when excuse is the more natural word to use: He used his illness as an excuse [not as an alibi] for leaving work early.