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alibi

American  
[al-uh-bahy] / ˈæl əˌbaɪ /

noun

plural

alibis

  1. Law. the defense by an accused person of having been elsewhere at the time an alleged offense was committed.

  2. an excuse, especially to avoid blame.

    Synonyms:
    justification, reason, explanation

  3. a person used as one's excuse.

    My sick grandmother was my alibi for missing school.

verb (used without object)

  1. Informal. to give an excuse; offer a defense.

    to alibi for being late.

verb (used with object)

  1. Informal.

    1. to provide an alibi for (someone).

      He alibied his friend out of a fix.

    2. to make or find (one's way) by using alibis.

      to alibi one's way out of work.
alibi British  
/ ˈælɪˌbaɪ /

noun

  1. law

    1. a defence by an accused person that he was elsewhere at the time the crime in question was committed

    2. the evidence given to prove this

  2. informal an excuse

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to provide with an alibi

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of alibi

First recorded in 1610–20; from Latin alibī (adverb): “in another place, elsewhere”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

They said Stephen McCullagh, 36, initially "pedalled the live stream as an alibi" but the court heard he later admitted to police that it had been pre-recorded days before.

From BBC

"Ingenuity can never become an alibi for incivility," the municipality of Catania said in a post on its official Facebook page.

From BBC

His legal team has lodged a special defence of alibi in connection with the murder accusation.

From BBC

Now, Panorama has uncovered new evidence that strengthens the possible alibi.

From BBC

Campbell's legal team has lodged a special defence of alibi in connection with the murder accusation.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.