If you say, “Give my apology to Joan,” you’re literally referring to an apology. This phrase means to make a situation worse. Sometimes, the permission to apologize comes right away, and sometimes it comes after those offended have had a chance to cool off. It only has a literal meaning. Enrich your vocabulary with the English Definition dictionary For example: “I hope he accepts my apology,” literally means, “I hope he accepts my expression of remorse.” If you had multiple apologies, you could use the plural phrase my apologies. If you say, “Give my apology to Joan,” you’re literally referring to an apology. Create an account and sign in to access this FREE content. “Optimistic” And “Pessimistic”: Are These Antonyms? Last 10 years As an idiom, my apologies means excuses or regrets. When you’re using my apologies as an idiomatic phrase, you can’t substitute the phrase my apology. I make no apologies for the way we played. For example, imagine you’re writing a letter that’s long overdue. Last 50 years The phrase my apology is not an idiom. In the above example, my apologies is used literally to mean “my multiple expressions of remorse.” That’s not the only way to use the phrase my apologies. Capitalising on that trend while simultaneously aiming to tackle the UK’s obesity pandemic, the government has promised ‘a revolution in cycling and walking’. My apology isn’t an idiom so it always retains its literal meaning. This phrase is a way of saying you’re sorry. Enter your email for word fun in your inbox every day. My Apology. All rights reserved. People sometimes use legumes to refer to peas, beans, and other related vegetables. The nights certainly are drawing in, and indeed, half past two in the afternoon on Tuesday 22 September this year marks the autumn equinox, when day and night are exactly equal in length. For example, “I’ve apologized to many people for my mistakes. When you’re using my apologies as an idiomatic phrase, you can’t substitute the phrase my apology. It also functions as an idiom. You can complete the definition of sincere apology given by the English Definition dictionary with other English dictionaries: Wikipedia, Lexilogos, Oxford, Cambridge, Chambers Harrap, Wordreference, Collins Lexibase dictionaries, Merriam Webster... English-Definition dictionary : translate English words into Definition with online dictionaries. His mother offered her apologies to the Jones family. This would be more appropriate if you had a written apology to hand to her. ©2020 Reverso-Softissimo. “WikiLeaks” vs. “Wikipedia”: Do You Know The Difference? All the latest wordy news, linguistic insights, offers and competitions every month. 19 examples: It would improve the situation if on each occasion the unfortunate monolingual… He has also received a letter of apology. My apology isn’t an idiom so it always retains its literal meaning. It means an act of saying you’re sorry. Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. This would be more appropriate if you had a written apology … Redefine your inbox with Dictionary.com updates! Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android. Last 100 years Ask for permission to apologize. All Years If you need to say you’re sorry, it helps to know whether you’re sending your apology or apologies.The phrase my apologies is an idiom, while the phrase my apology literally means my act of apologizing. his paintings around small London galleries. English Portuguese translation in context, Free: Learn English, French and other languages, Reverso Documents: translate your documents online, Learn English watching your favourite videos, All English definitions from our dictionary. You might start it with “My apologies for not writing you sooner.” In this sentence, you are not using the literal meaning of my apologies. Sincere apologies definition: An apology is something that you say or write in order to tell someone that you are sorry... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples For example, to add insult to injury is an idiom. “Infamous” vs. “Notorious”: Which One Is Better? “Affect” vs. “Effect”: Use The Correct Word Every Time, “Dissent” vs. “Protest”: Why Choosing The Right Word Matters. Democrats And Republicans: Why Are They Donkeys And Elephants? View usage for: The idiom my apologies means something slightly different from my multiple acts of apologizing. It doesn’t necessarily mean to insult someone after they’ve been injured. When Mary finally appeared, she made her apologies to Mrs Madrigal. Apology definition: An apology is something that you say or write in order to tell someone that you are sorry... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples