[(? a. Fr. apologie), ad. L. apologia (also in Eng. use), a. Gr. ἀπολογία defence, a speech in defence, f. ἀπό away, off + -λογία speaking.) Const. (of obs.) for.
1. The pleading off from a charge or imputation, whether expressed, implied, or only conceived as possible; defence of a person, or vindication of an institution, etc., from accusation or aspersion.
1533. More (title), Apologie of Syr Thomas More, Knyght; made by him, after he had geuen ouer the Office of Lord Chancellor of Englande.
1589. F. Trigge (title), An Apologie or Defence of our Dayes.
1650. Baxter, Saints’ Rest, I. v. (1662), 56. Now they shall both by Apology be maintained just.
1754. Sherlock, Disc. (1759), I. iv. 165. And before the same great Court of Areopagites Paul made his Apology.
1796. Bp. Watson (title), An Apology for the Bible.
1850. J. H. Newman, Difficult. Anglic., 4. Apologies for various of the great doctrines of the faith.
1876. M. Davies, Unorth. Lond., 356. A very manful … apologia was that with which Miss Miller favoured the large audience.
2. Less formally: Justification, explanation, or excuse, of an incident or course of action.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. i. 142. His enter and exit shall bee strangling a Snake; and I will haue an Apologie for that purpose.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 249. The consequence of those measures will be the best apology for my conduct.
1824. Dibdin, Libr. Comp., 58. I make no apology to the readers for the subjoined extract.
1855. Prescott, Philip II., I. III. vi. 385. To furnish an apology for his close confinement, a story was got up of an attempt to escape.
3. An explanation offered to a person affected by one’s action that no offence was intended, coupled with the expression of regret for any that may have been given; or, a frank acknowledgement of the offence with expression of regret for it, by way of reparation.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., III. vii. 104. My Lord, there needes no such Apologie.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 854. In her face excuse Came Prologue, and Apologie to prompt.
1692. Ray, Disc., Pref. 14. I have in this Edition removed one Subject of Apology.
1754. Chatham, Lett., iv. 21. If you are forced to desire further information … do it with proper apologies for the trouble you give.
1848. L. Hunt, Jar of Honey, x. 136. After many apologies for the liberty he was taking.
4. Something which, as it were, merely appears to apologize for the absence of what ought to have been there; a poor substitute.
1754. Connoisseur, No. 25. Waistcoats edged with a narrow cord, which serves as an apology for lace.
1858. C. J. Mathews, in Life (1879), I. i. 1. Gibbon, the historian, was said to have had no nose at all, only an apology for one.
1874. Forster, Dickens, 120. To swallow a hasty apology for a dinner.
¶ Obsolete form of APOLOGUE, q.v.
