The meaning of โทษ can be

1. noun 'punishment', 'penalty'; 2. noun 'harm', 'danger'; 3. noun 'blame' 4. verb 'to blame' depending on the context.

The elegant synonym of โทษ is ทัณฑ์ /than/ mid tone, short vowel.

นักโทษ /nák thôod/ and คนโทษ /khon thôod/ are synonyms meaning 'prisoner', 'convict'. (This 'oo' is close to an 'oh' or 'oa' sound in normal English spelling).

โทษเบา /thôod bao/ light punishment, light penalty; minor offense

Elegant synonym: ลหุโทษláhùthôod

โทษหนัก heavy punishment, heavy penalty; major offense

Elegant synonym: มหันตโทษ /mahan+(tà)thôod/

Another more colloquial word for 'to blame' is ว่า /waa/ (which in other contexts is just a shortening of พูดว่า /phûud wâa/ 'say, speak' and คิดว่า /khíd wâa/ 'think', and serves as a clause introducer, or as the ':' sign in most European languages.).

Example: อย่าไปว่าเขาซิ่ /yàa pai wâa kháo/ Don't blame him/her/them!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ขอโทษ is one of those words that may have been shortened from its formal expression:

ขอประทานโทษ - [V] apologize, See also: excuse me; beg your pardon; pardon me, Syn. ขอโทษ, Example: ขอประทานโทษที่กล่าวออกนอกเรื่อง, Thai definition: ขอให้ยกเว้นโทษ

such as "glûay-bùat-chee" - กล้วยบวชชี -

Be careful how you say this.

Sounds a bit like something needing a pee.