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Excess

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.

(Science: 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.

Origin: 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.