excessive, a. (n.) and adv.
(ɛkˈsɛsɪv)
Forms: 4 excessife, 5 excessif, excessyfe, 5–6 excessyve, 6 (accessive), excesseve, 5– excessive.
[a. F. excessif, -ive, as if ad. L. *excēssīv-us, f. excēss- ppl. stem of excēdĕre: see exceed.]
A. adj.
† 1. Of persons or their actions: Transgressing the bounds of law, decency, or morality; outrageous, lawless, wrongful. Obs.
| 1393 Gower Conf. III. 117 Thinges which are excessife Ayein the lawe, he shal nought do. 1548 Hall Chron. 97 Certain ordinaunces, made by the Maire and Aldermen of London, against the excessive takyng of Masons..and other laborers, for their daily jorneis. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 164 He made a law also the same time against the excessive takyng of Usurie by the Jewes. 1656 Cowley Davideis iv. 623 Those who before did God's fair Choice with⁓stand Th' excessive Vulgar now to Death demand. |
2. Of qualities, states, actions, magnitudes, etc. † a. In favourable or neutral sense: Exceeding what is usual; ‘surpassing’; exceedingly great.
| 1475 Caxton Jason 20 Wherfore were..ye so haboundantly garnished so well of excessiue ande chief alle beaute. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 162 They come downe agayn to them selfe from suche excessyue eleuacyon or extasy. 1626 Bacon Sylva §438 If Panicum be laid below and about the Bottom of a Root, it will cause the Root to grow to an Excessiue Bignesse. 1663 Gerbier Counsel B v b, Water, can be easily drawn, an excessive and almost incredible height above its Centre. |
b. Exceeding what is right, proportionate, or desirable; immoderate, inordinate, extravagant.
| a 1420 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 450 A foule waste of clothe and excessyfe. 1490 Caxton Eneydos xxviii. (1890) 110 A highe coloure ouer excessyue and dyshonneste. 1601 Shakes. All's Well i. i. 65 Moderate lamentation is the right of the dead, excessiue greefe [is] the enemie to the liuing. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. i. viii. 36 Excessive desire of Revenge, when it becomes habituall, hurteth the organs. 1752 Hume Pol. Disc. x. 203 Excessive severity in the laws is apt to beget great relaxation in their execution. 1844–57 G. Bird Urin. Deposits (ed. 5) 84 A man eats an excessive meal of meat, more than he can assimilate into healthy blood. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) III. 681 A single night of excessive rain..left the rock of the Acropolis bare. |
3. Of persons: Given to excess in anything; intemperate, extravagant. Now only with agent-nouns or predicatively with const. in.
| 1586 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. i. (1594) 190 These excessive fellowes never expect hunger, or thirst..but through intemperance prevent them. 1624 Capt. Smith Virginia vi. 219 If a man worke but three daies in seuen, hee may get more than hee can spend vnlesse hee will bee exceedingly excessiue. 1663 Cowley Verses & Ess., Shortness Life, A man who is excessive in his pains and diligence. 1670 Milton Hist. Eng. Wks. 1738 II. 118 He is said to be at Table not excessive. 1710 Steele Tatler No. 182 ¶2 Who is not excessive in the Discourse of what he extremely likes? Mod. Avoid the company of excessive drinkers. |
† 4. Of expressions: Hyperbolical. Obs.
| 1555 Eden Decades 127 They compare them in bignesse to elephantes..but this..by an excessyue kynde of speache. |
5. Of climates: Characterized by extremes.
| 1830 Lyell Princ. Geol. I. 107 There are..excessive climates, as they have been termed, where the temperature of winter and summer is strongly contrasted. |
† 6. as n. Something excessive; an extravagance. Obs. rare.
| 1644 H. Parker Jus. Pop. 49 Great Monarchies are monstrous excessives in Nature. |
† B. adv. = excessively. Obs.; very common in 17–18th c.
| 1569 Turberv. Epitaphs & Sonn. (1837) 366 Ye are excessiue proude. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 216 The Sea at the brinke of this Ile is excessive deepe. a 1720 Sheffield (Dk. Buckhm.) Wks. 1753 II. 102 Mr. Lane grew excessive angry. 1768 Goldsm. Good-n. Man ii. i, His manner..was excessive harmless. 1774 Pennant Tour Scot. in 1772, 345 The night most excessive dark. 1796 Burney Metastasio I. 395 This would be an excessive long chapter. |