alibi
noun
1
in a rigged carnival game, the reason given by the game operator to disqualify a legitimate win US, 1985.
2
in sports, an excuse for not performing well. In 1914, sports writer Ring Lardner created the character Alibi Ike, who always had an excuse for not playing well US, 1914.
3
a weak excuse. A watered-down version of the conventional use US, 1899