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Excess vs Extreme - What's the difference?

excess | extreme |

As nouns the difference between excess and extreme

is that 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 while extreme is the greatest or utmost point, degree or condition.

As adjectives the difference between excess and extreme

is that excess is more than is normal, necessary or specified while extreme is of a place, the most remote, farthest or outermost.

As an adverb extreme is

extremely.

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

    Related terms

    * exceed * excessive

    Adjective

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

    • Derived terms

    * excess baggage

    See also

    * usury

    External links

    * * (Webster 1913)

    extreme

    English

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Of a place, the most remote, farthest or outermost.
  • In the greatest or highest degree; intense.
  • * , chapter=13
    • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes. He said that if you wanted to do anything for them, you must rule them, not pamper them.}}
  • Excessive, or far beyond the norm.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-03
    • , author=Frank Fish, George Lauder, volume=101, issue=2, page=114, magazine=(American Scientist) , title= Not Just Going with the Flow , passage=An extreme version of vorticity is a vortex . The vortex is a spinning, cyclonic mass of fluid, which can be observed in the rotation of water going down a drain, as well as in smoke rings, tornados and hurricanes.}}
  • Drastic, or of great severity.
  • Of sports, difficult or dangerous; performed in a hazardous environment.
  • (archaic) Ultimate, final or last.
    • the extreme hour of life

    Synonyms

    * (place) farthest, furthest, most distant, outermost, remotest * (in greatest or highest degree) greatest, highest * (excessive) excessive, too much * (drastic) drastic, severe * (sports) dangerous * (ultimate) final, last, ultimate

    Antonyms

    * (place) closest, nearest * (in greatest or highest degree) least * (excessive) moderate, reasonable * (drastic) moderate, reasonable

    Derived terms

    * extremeness

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The greatest or utmost point, degree or condition.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=2 , passage=Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke.
  • Each of the things at opposite ends of a range or scale.
  • A drastic expedient.
  • (mathematics) Either of the two numbers at the ends of a proportion, as 1'' and ''6'' in ''1:2=3:6 .

    • Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (archaic) Extremely.
  • * 1796 Charles Burney, Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Metastasio 2.5:
    • In the empty and extreme cold theatre.

    Usage notes

    * Formerly used to modify adjectives and sometimes adverbs, but rarely verbs.

    Derived terms

    * extremism * extremist * extremity * extremely * extreme ironing * extreme unction

    Related terms

    * extremum

    See also

    * mean

    References

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