▪ I. † exˈcurse, n. Obs. rare—1.
[ad. L. excurs-us: see excursus.]
An outrush, raid, hostile sally.
| 1586 J. Hooker Girald. Irel. in Holinshed II. 15/1, I am to require thee that thou doo retire and withdraw these excurses of strangers. |
▪ II. excurse, v.
(ɛkˈskɜːs)
[f. L. excurs- ppl. stem of excurrĕre: see excur.]
1. intr. To run off, wander, digress. Chiefly fig.
| 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) III. x. 71 How I excurse! Yet thou usedst to say, thou likedst my excursions. 1887 Sat. Rev. 17 Sept. 403 The text excurses in Mr. Carroll's usual style about babies and cakes. 1891 M. M. Dowie Girl in Karp. 239 At first I excursed in various directions thinking to light upon a track. |
2. To make, or go upon, an excursion.
| 1775 Sterne's Sent. Journ. Contd., Tilt of Arms 177 Who can dispute a Parisian's word, who never has excursed beyond the gates? 1820 Knox & Jebb Corr. II. 440, I..am to excurse ten miles, on the Dover road. 1841 C. Fox Mem. Old Friends 7 Aug., When the Franklins..were excursing in Ireland, they went through some difficult pass. |
3. trans. ‘To journey or pass through’ (Webster 1864).
| a 1859 Hallam is cited by Worcester (1860). |