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Excel vs Excess - What's the difference?

excel | excess |

As a proper noun excel

is a spreadsheet application software program written and distributed by.

As a noun excess is

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 proper; immoderateness; superfluity; superabundance; extravagance; as, an excess of provisions or of light.

As an adjective excess is

more than is normal, necessary or specified.

excel

English

Verb

(excell)
  • To surpass someone or something; to be better or do better than someone or something.
  • * '>citation
  •     La Rochefoucauld, the French philosopher, said: "If
    you want enemies, excel' your friends; but if you want
    friends, let your friends '''excel''' you."
        Why is that true? Because when our friends '''excel''' us,
    that gives them a feeling of importance; but when we '
    excel

    them, that gives them a feeling of inferiority and arouses
    envy and jealousy.
    I excelled everyone else with my exam results.
  • To be much better than others.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=November 12 , author= , title=International friendly: England 1-0 Spain , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Lescott gave his finest England performance alongside his former Everton team-mate Phil Jagielka, who also excelled despite playing with a fractured toe, while Parker was given a deserved standing ovation when he was substituted late on.}}
  • * 1924 : ARISTOTLE. Metaphysics . Translated by W. D. Ross. Nashotah, Wisconsin, USA: The Classical Library, 2001. Available at: . Book 1, Part 2.
  • If, then, there is something in what the poets say, and jealousy is natural to the divine power, it would probably occur in this case above all, and all who excelled in this knowledge would be unfortunate.
  • (rare) To exceed, to go beyond
  • * 1674 , Paradise lost, , by Milton
  • She opened; but to shut / Excelled her power: the gates wide open stood
  • * XIX century , , by Emily Dickinson
  • I reason, we could die : / The best vitality / Cannot excel decay; / But what of that?

    excess

    English

    Noun

    (es) (Spherical excess)
  • 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 proper; immoderateness; superfluity; superabundance; extravagance; as, an excess of provisions or of light.
  • * , King John , act 4, scene 2:
  • To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
    To throw a perfume on the violet, . . .
    Is wasteful and ridiculous excess .
  • * , "Jealosy", in The Poetical Works of William Walsh (1797), page 19 (Google preview):
  • That kills me with excess' of grief, this with ' excess of joy.
  • The degree or amount by which one thing or number exceeds another; remainder.
  • The difference between two numbers is the excess of one over the other.
  • An undue indulgence of the appetite; transgression of proper moderation in natural gratifications; intemperance; dissipation.
  • * :
  • And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess .
  • * 1667 , , Paradise Lost , Book III:
  • Fair Angel, thy desire . . .
    . . . leads to no excess
    That reaches blame
  • (geometry) Spherical excess, 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.
  • (British, insurance) A condition on an insurance policy by which the insured pays for a part of the claim.
  • Synonyms

    * (qualifier) (l)

    Antonyms

    * deficiency

    Adjective

    (-)
  • More than is normal, necessary or specified.
  • Derived terms

    * excess baggage

    See also

    * usury