excuss

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin excussus, past participle of excutere (“to shake off”).

Verb

excuss (third-person singular simple present excusses, present participle excussing, simple past and past participle excussed)

1. (obsolete) To shake off.
2. (obsolete, transitive) To examine (a document).
3. (obsolete, transitive) To decipher.
4. (transitive, law) To seize and detain by law.
5. (law) To proceed against a principal debtor where there are either joint debtors or debtors and sureties.

   The surety claimed relief in terms of the beneficium excussionis, thus obliging the creditor to excuss against the principal debtor.

Related terms

• beneficium excussionis
• excussion

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• Afrikaans: ^{(please verify)} uitwin

References

• “excuss”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “excuss”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.