如果你犹豫了，这会让借口有时间溜进你的思想。

If you hesitate, it allows time to think of excuses to go along.

youdao

我当时正打算用什么借口，让人把他从房子里叫出去。

I was going to have him called away from the house on some pretext or other.

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

我不得不承认，它听上去像是个让人难以置信的借口。

I had to admit it sounded like an implausible excuse.

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》