3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Excess  \Ex*cess"\,  n.  [OE.  exces,  excess,  ecstasy,  L.  excessus  a 
  going  out  loss  of  self-possession,  fr  excedere  excessum 
  to  go  out  go  beyond:  cf  F.  exc[`e]s.  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  prover;  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.  --Shak. 
 
  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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  excess 
  adj  :  more  than  is  needed,  desired,  or  required;  "trying  to  lose 
  excess  weight";  "found  some  extra  change  lying  on  the 
  dresser";  "yet  another  book  on  heraldry  might  be 
  thought  redundant";  "skills  made  redundant  by 
  technological  advance";  "sleeping  in  the  spare  room"; 
  "supernumerary  ornamentation";  "it  was  supererogatory 
  of  her  to  gloat";  "delete  superfluous  (or  unnecessary) 
  words";  "extra  ribs  as  well  as  other  supernumerary 
  internal  parts";  "surplus  cheese  distributed  to  the 
  needy"  [syn:  {extra},  {redundant},  {spare},  {supererogatory}, 
  {superfluous},  {supernumerary},  {surplus}] 
  n  1:  a  quantity  much  larger  than  is  needed  [syn:  {surplus},  {surplusage}] 
  2:  immoderation  as  a  consequence  of  going  beyond  sufficient  or 
  permitted  limits  [syn:  {excessiveness},  {inordinateness}] 
  3:  the  state  of  being  more  than  full  [syn:  {surfeit},  {overabundance}] 
  4:  excessive  indulgence;  "the  child  was  spoiled  by 
  overindulgence"  [syn:  {overindulgence}] 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  EXCESS,  n.  In  morals,  an  indulgence  that  enforces  by  appropriate 
  penalties  the  law  of  moderation. 
 
  Hail,  high  Excess  --  especially  in  wine, 
  To  thee  in  worship  do  I  bend  the  knee 
  Who  preach  abstemiousness  unto  me  -- 
  My  skull  thy  pulpit,  as  my  paunch  thy  shrine. 
  Precept  on  precept,  aye,  and  line  on  line 
  Could  ne'er  persuade  so  sweetly  to  agree 
  With  reason  as  thy  touch,  exact  and  free 
  Upon  my  forehead  and  along  my  spine. 
  At  thy  command  eschewing  pleasure's  cup, 
  With  the  hot  grape  I  warm  no  more  my  wit; 
  When  on  thy  stool  of  penitence  I  sit 
  I'm  quite  converted,  for  I  can't  get  up 
  Ungrateful  he  who  afterward  would  falter 
  To  make  new  sacrifices  at  thine  altar! 
 
 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words