v. t.
Excelling others, these were great;
Thou, greater still, must these excel. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]
I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. Eccl. ii. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]
She opened; but to shut
Excelled her power; the gates wide open stood. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. i. To surpass others in good qualities, laudable actions, or acquirements; to be distinguished by superiority;
Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel. Gen. xlix. 4. [ 1913 Webster ]
Then peers grew proud in horsemanship t' excel. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ F. excellence, L. excellentia. ]
Consider first that great
Or bright infers not excellence. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]
With every excellence refined. Beattie. [ 1913 Webster ]
I do greet your excellence
With letters of commission from the king. Shak.
n.;
His excellency is over Israel. Ps. lxviii. 34. [ 1913 Webster ]
Extinguish in men the sense of their own excellency. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ F. excellent, L. excellens, -entis, p. pr. of excellere. See Excel. ]
To love . . .
What I see excellent in good or fair. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]
Their sorrows are most excellent. Beau. & Fl.
adv. Excellently; eminently; exceedingly. [ Obs. ] “This comes off well and excellent.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
adv.
When the whole heart is excellently sorry. J. Fletcher. [ 1913 Webster ]
‖ a. [ L., compar. of excelsus elevated, lofty, p. p. of excellere. See Excel, v. t. ] More lofty; still higher; ever upward. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. A kind of stuffing for upholstered furniture, mattresses, etc., in which curled shreds of wood are substituted for curled hair. [ 1913 Webster ]