excrescency
(ɛkˈskrɛsənsɪ)
Also 6–7 -sy, -sie.
[f. as prec.: see -ency.]
1. Excrescent state or condition; the quality or fact of growing out or forth; abnormal or excessive development; an instance of the same. † In early use also: An exuberant outburst, an extravagance.
| 1638 Featley Strict. Lyndom. ii. 12 The excrescensie and superabundance of Saints satisfactions. 1649 Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. Exhort. §7 Some Saints have had excrescencies and eruptions of holiness in the instances of uncommanded duties. Ibid. i. ii. §25 Our Fasts..and all exteriour acts of religion are to be guided by our Superiour, if he sees cause to asswage any excrescencie. 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. 172 The Deduction and Moderation of their [the Nails'] Excrescencie to a just extendure. a 1661 B. Holyday Juvenal 149 An extraordinary excrescency of bones below..the rump bone. 1748 tr. Vegetius' Distemp. Horses 202 If there is an Excrescency of Flesh, you shall boil Grass with Oil and put it in it. |
† 2. Something that is excrescent; an outgrowth; = excrescence 2. Often applied to fungi. Obs.
| 1545 T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde 146 Warts and suche lyke excrescensys on the face. 1597 Gerard Herbal clxii. 1384 The earthie excrescencies, called Mushrums. 1648 Hunting of Fox 5 Pruned of their luxuriant excrescencies. 1646 J. Hall Poems Pref., A Mushrome though but an excrescency, well drest is no poyson, but a Salad. 1653–5 H. More Antid. Ath. ii. xi. (1712) 73 The red pugger'd attire of the Turky, and the long Excrescency that hangs down over his Bill. 1704 Swift Batt. Bks. (1711) 246 Excrescencies in form of Teats. 1736 Bailey, Excrescency, that which sticks to or grows upon another thing, as cat's tails upon a nut tree, etc. |
† 3. An abnormal, morbid, or unsightly outgrowth; = excrescence 3. Obs.
| 1641 Milton Reform. ii. (1851) 43 A huge and monstrous Wen little lesse then the Head it selfe, growing to it by a narrower excrescency. 1691 Ray Creation (1701) ii. 236 A large Wen upon our Faces..or any the like superfluous Excrescency. |
b. transf. and fig.
| 1649 Milton Eikon. xi. (1851) 424 Hee..would have onely the excrescencies of evil prun'd away for the present. a 1677 Barrow Serm. Wks. 1716 I. 158 Oaths as they commonly pass are mere excrescensies of speech. 1713 Guardian No. 1 ¶5 Ambition, lust, envy, and revenge are excrescencies of the mind. 1756–82 J. Warton Ess. Pope (1782) I. iii. 132 The two last books of the Iliad may be thought not to be excrescencies but essential to the poem. |