I. ikˈses, ˈekˌses, ekˈses noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French excès, from Late Latin excessus, from Latin, departure, from excessus, past participle of excedere to go forth, exceed — more at exceed
1.
a. : a state of surpassing or going beyond limits : the fact of being in a measure beyond sufficiency, necessity, or duty : superfluity , superabundance
excess of grief
an excess of provisions
b. : something that exceeds what is usual, proper, proportionate. or specified
she was serious almost to excess — Aldous Huxley
c. : the amount or degree by which one thing or number exceeds another
there was an excess of 10 bushels over what was needed to fill the bin
the excess of 12 plus 2 over 12 minus 2 is 4
2. : undue or immoderate indulgence : intemperance especially in eating and drinking
excess at table is seldom healthful
— often used in plural
their excesses led to their expulsion from the congregation
Synonyms:
superfluity , surplus , surplusage , overplus : excess may be used of any exceeding or going beyond measure, limits, or accustomed bounds
an excess of carbon dioxide in the air
an excess of supply over demand
It is often used in connection with culpable lack of moderation, temperance, and restraint
I have a considerable affection for the Empire style, of which I bought a houseful when it could be bought for half nothing. But the excesses of the style are terrible — Arnold Bennett
Washington began with the prestige of a unanimous election and ended, as his farewell address plainly reveals, with a deep abhorrence of the excesses of intense party spirit — A.N.Holcombe
superfluity may refer to a vain, wasteful, or embarrassing excess, over actual needs
as I have a certain amount of money to spare and am possessed by the strange desire to collect unnecessary objects, I succumb easily to anyone who asks me to buy superfluities and luxuries — Aldous Huxley
not the lack of expressive power, but the superfluity. He was profusely and indiscriminately loquacious — Virginia Woolf
surplus applies to whatever is left after all needed has been used or expended; it is often used in reference to money or to valuable commodities
the company books showing a surplus
the Patent Office has become one of the relatively few government establishments that not only pay their way, but normally yield a surplus — F.A.Ogg & P.O.Ray
nearly every farmer had an apple press with which he prepared adequate quantities of cider and vinegar for family consumption, and frequently there were surpluses to market — W.M.Kollmorgen
surplusage may refer to an unjustified or useless excess
the Senate conferees took the position that the usage of the word “prior” was unnecessary and was mere surplusage — U.S.Code
overplus may designate an unnecessary addition or adventitious augmentation
we entered the Rectory drive, the car poked at by the wild overplus of vegetation which was certainly not that of a normal garden — Wyndham Lewis
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- in excess of
- to excess
II. ˈekˌses, ikˈs-, ekˈs- adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from excess, n.
1. : more than or above the usual or specified amount : that constitutes an excess
excess property on hand after a contract ends
the body tends to rid itself of its excess nitrogen — H.G.Armstrong
excess sleep may be a sign of a disturbance — Morris Fishbein
2. : exceeding in weight or size an allowance transportable without charge
excess baggage
III. ikˈses, ˈekˌses, ekˈses transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
Etymology: excess , noun
: to eliminate the position of
the decline in enrollment has allowed us to excess about 75 teachers — Stuart Binion