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. excès. 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 proper; 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.