Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Excess

Ex-cess′

,
Noun.
[OE.
exces
,
excess
, ecstasy, L.
excessus
a going out, loss of self-possession, fr.
excedere
,
excessum
, to go out, go beyond: cf. F.
excès
. See
Exceed
.]
1.
The state of surpassing or going beyond limits; the being of a measure beyond sufficiency, necessity, or duty; that which exceeds what is usual or proper; immoderateness; superfluity; superabundance; extravagance;
as, an
excess
of provisions or of light
.
To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
To throw a perfume on the violet, . . .
Is wasteful and ridiculous
excess
.
Shakespeare
That kills me with
excess
of grief, this with
excess
of joy.
Walsh.
2.
An undue indulgence of the appetite; transgression of proper moderation in natural gratifications; intemperance; dissipation.
Be not drunk with wine, wherein is
excess
.
Eph. v. 18.
Thy desire . . . leads to no
excess

That reaches blame
.
Milton.
3.
The degree or amount by which one thing or number exceeds another; remainder;
as, the difference between two numbers is the
excess
of one over the other
.
Spherical excess
(Geom.)
,
the amount by which the sum of the three angles of a spherical triangle exceeds two right angles. The spherical excess is proportional to the area of the triangle.

Webster 1828 Edition

Excess

EXCESS'

,
Noun.
[L. excessus, from excedo. See Exceed.]
1.
Literally, that which exceeds any measure or limit, or which exceeds something else, or a going beyond a just line or point. Hence, superfluity; that which is beyond necessity or wants; as an excess of provisions; excess of light.
2.
That which is beyond the common measure, proportion, or due quantity; as the excess of a limb; the excess of bile in the system.
3.
Super abundance of any thing.
4.
Any transgression of due limits.
5.
In morals, any indulgence of appetite, passion or exertion, beyond the rules of God's word, or beyond any rule of propriety; intemperance in gratifications; as excess in eating or drinking; excess of joy; excess of grief; excess of love, or of anger; excess of labor.
6.
In arithmetic and geometry, the difference between any two unequal numbers or quantities; that which remains when the lesser number or quantity is taken from the greater.

Definition 2024

excess

excess

English

Noun

excess ‎(countable and uncountable, plural excesses)

  1. The state of surpassing or going beyond limits; the being of a measure beyond sufficiency, necessity, or duty; that which exceeds what is usual or proper; immoderateness; superfluity; superabundance; extravagance; as, an excess of provisions or of light.
    • c. 1597, William Shakespeare, King John, act 4, scene 2:
      To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
      To throw a perfume on the violet, . . .
      Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.
    • c. 1690, William Walsh, "Jealosy", in The Poetical Works of William Walsh (1797), page 19 (Google preview):
      That kills me with excess of grief, this with excess of joy.
  2. The degree or amount by which one thing or number exceeds another; remainder.
    The difference between two numbers is the excess of one over the other.
  3. An undue indulgence of the appetite; transgression of proper moderation in natural gratifications; intemperance; dissipation.
    • 1611, Bible (KJV), Ephesians 5:18::
      And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess.
    • 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost, Book III:
      Fair Angel, thy desire . . .
      . . . leads to no excess
      That reaches blame
  4. (geometry) Spherical excess, the amount by which the sum of the three angles of a spherical triangle exceeds two right angles. The spherical excess is proportional to the area of the triangle.
  5. (Britain, insurance) A condition on an insurance policy by which the insured pays for a part of the claim.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related terms

Translations

Adjective

excess ‎(not comparable)

  1. More than is normal, necessary or specified.

Derived terms

Verb

excess ‎(third-person singular simple present excesses, present participle excessing, simple past and past participle excessed)

  1. (US, transitive) To declare (an employee) surplus to requirements, such that he or she might not be given work.
    • 2008 May 3, “When New York Teachers Don’t Teach”, in New York Times:
      In 2006, I was excessed because my program had to make a few cuts and a new, inexperienced supervisor decided that he couldn’t handle a knowledgeable older teacher so he removed me.

See also

External links

  • excess in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • excess in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Translations

Etymology

From Middle English exces ‎(“excess, ecstasy”), from Old French exces, from Latin excessus ‎(“a going out, loss of self-possession”), from excedere, excessum ‎(“to go out, go beyond”). See exceed.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /əkˈsɛs/, /ˈɛksɛs/
  • Rhymes: -ɛs

Similar Results