excess
English
Etymology
From Middle English exces (“excess, ecstasy”), from Latin excessus (“a going out, loss of self-possession”), from excedere, excessum (“to go out, go beyond”). See exceed.
Pronunciation
Noun
excess (plural excesses)
- 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.
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- To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, To throw a perfume on the violet, ... Is wasteful and ridiculous excess. - Shakespeare
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- 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.
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- That kills me with excess of grief, this with excess of joy. - Walsh
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- An undue indulgence of the appetite; transgression of proper moderation in natural gratifications; intemperance; dissipation.
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- Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess. Ephesians v. 18
- Thy desire ... leads to no excess That reaches blame. - Milton
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- (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.
- (UK, insurance) A condition on an insurance policy by which the insured pays for the first part of any claim, in exchange for a lower premium.
Synonyms
- (US, insurance) deductible
Antonyms
Related terms
Translations
state of surpassing limits
degree by which one thing exceeds another
undue indulgence of the appetite
geometry: spherical excess
insurance condition
Adjective
excess (not comparable)
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
Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.