alibi

[al-uh-bahy]

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

/ 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

verb

1. (tr) to provide with an alibi

Word History and Origins

Origin of alibi¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of alibi¹

C18: from Latin alibī elsewhere, from alius other + -bī as in ubī where

Example Sentences

At the motorcycle dealership, prosecutors say that Corona tried to convince a dealership employee to falsify company records to say that he had picked up his motorcycle to support the alibi.

From Los Angeles Times

Such details include their attempts to arrange for an alibi and the fact that they “convincingly and repeatedly” lied to investigators and relatives that the killings must have been a mafia hit.

From Los Angeles Times

Investigators claimed in a summary corrective action plan shared by the supervisors that Torres did not provide “a consistent alibi.”

From Los Angeles Times

"Let the clumsy, the spineless, the alibi artists stand aside, a poor shot should be a shot irrevocably lost," he stated.

From BBC

After his selection as a mayoral candidate, a former friend of Archer's told the News of the World that he had lied in the libel trial and asked him to provide a false alibi.

From BBC

Related Words

• excuse 
• justification 
• pretext