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. exces. 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.
© Webster 1913.