473
excrement
exceptional. (=unusually clever) | It was an exceptional
game. | The firemen showed exceptional bravery. —~ly adv:
exceptionally honest
ex-cerpt /'eks3:pt || -3:r-/ n [(from)] a piece taken from a book,
speech, or musical work for copying, performing etc: One of
the Sunday newspapers is publishing excerpts from her new
book.
ex-cess¹ /ɪk'ses, 'eksəs/ n [S;U(of)] 1 something more than
is reasonable; more than a reasonable degree or amount:
There is an excess of violence in the film. | He drinks to
excess. 2 [m] the fact of being, or an amount by which
something is, greater than something else: This year's profits
were in excess of (=more than) a million pounds.
ex-cess² /'eksəs/ adj [A] additional; more than is usual,
allowed etc
excess 'baggage also ,excess 'luggage n [U] a passen-
ger's cases, bags, and boxes that are more than an AIRLINE will
carry free
ex-cess-es /ɪk'sesɪz/ n [P] actions so bad that they go
beyond the limits of what is acceptable: The government
seemed unable to curb (=limit) the excesses of its secret police. |
the excesses of war
ex-ces-sive /ɪk'sesɪv/ adj too much; too great; going
beyond what is reasonable or right: The prices at this hotel
are excessive. | He takes an excessive interest in clothes. —~ly
adv
ex-change¹ /ɪks'tʃeɪndʒ/ n 1 [C;U] (a case of) the act of
exchanging: There was an exchange of political prisoners
between the two countries. | He gave me an apple in exchange
for a piece of cake. | We thought we'd do an exchange. She'll
come over at Easter and I'll go there in the summer. | We're
going to do an exchange. He'll have my bike and I'll take the
car. 2 [C] a TELEPHONE EXCHANGE 3 [C] (often cap.) a place
where business people meet to buy and sell goods, shares
etc: They sell corn at the Corn Exchange, and company shares
at the Stock Exchange. 4 [C] a short period of fighting or
talking between two people or groups: Two soldiers were
wounded in the exchange. | I had an acrimonious exchange
with the manager. → see also FOREIGN EXCHANGE, JOB CEN-
TRE
exchange² v [T(for, with)] to give and receive in return (some-
thing of the same type or equal value): The two teams
exchanged presents before the game. | The battery I bought is
the wrong size – I wonder if the shop will exchange it? | The
fighters exchanged blows. (=hit each other) | I haven't seen
him for years, though we exchange letters at Christmas. | I
exchanged seats with Bill. (=I took his and he took mine) | We
move into the new house as soon as we have exchanged
contracts. (=the last stage of buying a house) | Where can I
exchange my dollars for pounds? —~able adj
Exchange and Mart /ɪksˌtʃeɪndʒ ən 'mɑ:t || -'mɑ:rt/ trade-
mark a British weekly magazine, which is made up of adver-
tisements from people who want to sell things such as cars,
musical instruments, or articles for the home
ex'change rate n the rate at which the money of one
country is changed for that of another: We keep an eye on
local exchange rates to find out where it is cheapest to buy
parts from.
ex'change rate ,mechanism n 1 [the] EUROPEAN
EXCHANGE RATE MECHANISM 2 [C] any system for control-
ling the exchange rate between the money of one country
and that of another country
ex'change ,student n a student who goes to a foreign
country to study, usually as a part of a programme
Ex-che-qu-er, the /ɪks'tʃekər || 'ekstʃekər/ the British gov-
ernment department that is responsible for collecting taxes
and paying out public money. It is part of the TREASURY
whose chief minister is called the CHANCELLOR OF THE
EXCHEQUER.
ex-cise¹ /'eksaɪz/ n [U] the government tax on certain goods
produced and used inside a country → compare CUSTOMS
ex-cise² /ɪk'saɪz/ v [T] [fm] to remove (as if) by cutting out:
The tumour was excised. → compare AMPUTATE —cision
/ɪk'sɪʒən/ n [C;U]
ex-ci-ta-ble /ɪk'saɪtəbəl/ adj usually derog easily excited
—bility /ɪkˌsaɪtə'bɪləti/ n [U]
ex-cite /ɪk'saɪt/ v [T] 1 to cause to lose calmness and have
strong feelings, especially of expectation and happiness:
Don't excite yourself! Relax! | The news of her arrival excited
the crowd. 2 [m] to cause a person or people to have (a strong
feeling): The court case has excited a lot of public interest.
ex-cit-ed /ɪk'saɪtɪd/ adj 1 full of strong feelings of expecta-
tion and happiness; not calm: She's very excited about
getting a part in the film. | The scientists are excited about the
results of the experiment. | The excited children were opening
their Christmas presents. | (infml) Their new record is nothing
to get excited about. (=not very good) 2 especially AmE infml
ready for sex —~ly adv
ex-cite-ment /ɪk'saɪtmənt/ n 1 [U] the state or quality of
being excited: He has a weak heart, and should avoid excite-
ment. 2 [C] an exciting event: Life will seem very quiet after
the excitements of our holiday.
ex-cit-ing /ɪk'saɪtɪŋ/ adj causing excitement: an exciting
film/football match/new development → opposite UNEXCIT-
ING —~ly adv
ex-claim /ɪk'skleɪm/ v [(at);T] [m] to speak or say loudly and
suddenly, because of surprise or other strong feeling: She
exclaimed in delight when she saw the presents. | He exclaimed
at the size of the bill. | 'Good heavens!' he exclaimed. 'It's six
o'clock already.'
ex-cla-ma-tion /ˌeksklə'meɪʃən/ n the word(s) expressing a
sudden strong feeling: 'Good heavens!' is an exclamation (of
surprise).
excla'mation mark BrE || excla'mation point AmE — n a
mark (!) written after the actual words of an exclamation, as
in 'I'm hungry!' she exclaimed.'
ex-clude /ɪk'sklu:d/ v [T] 1 [(from)] to keep or shut out:
People under 21 are excluded from (joining) the club. 2 [(from)]
to leave out from among the rest: No one was excluded from
sentry duty. (=everyone did it) → opposite INCLUDE 3 to shut
out (a reason or possibility) from the mind; not consider;
REJECT: We cannot exclude the possibility that his wife killed
him.
ex-clud-ing /ɪk'sklu:dɪŋ/ prep not counting; not including:
There were thirty people in the hotel, excluding the hotel staff.
→ opposite INCLUDING
ex-clu-sion /ɪk'sklu:ʒən/ n [U(from)] 1 the act of excluding
or fact of being excluded: His exclusion from the negotiations
infuriated the union. 2 to the exclusion of so as to leave out
(all other members of a group); and not: He plays golf to the
exclusion of all other sports.
ex'clusion ,zone n a large area which the Government
does not allow people to enter, either because it is dangerous
or for defence reasons: a fifty-mile exclusion zone
ex-clu-sive¹ /ɪk'sklu:sɪv/ adj 1 that excludes people consid-
ered to be socially unsuitable and charges a lot of money:
one of London's most exclusive hotels 2 [A] limited to one
person, group, or organization; not shared with others: This
bathroom is for the President's exclusive use. | The reporter
managed to get an exclusive interview with the Prime Minis-
ter. 3 exclusive of not taking into account; without; exclud-
ing: The hotel charges £60 a day, exclusive of meals. —~ness
n [U]
exclusive² n a newspaper story given to or printed by only
one newspaper: If you pay me £20,000, I'll give your paper the
story as an exclusive. → compare SCOOP¹
ex-clu-sive-ly /ɪk'sklu:sɪvli/ adv only; and nothing/no one
else: This room is exclusively for women. | He writes exclu-
sively for the Washington Post.
ex-com-mu-ni-cate /ˌekskə'mju:nɪkeɪt/ v [T] (especially
in the Roman Catholic Church) to formally take away
membership of the church from (someone) as a punishment
—cation /ˌekskəmju:nɪ'keɪʃən/ n [C;U] The Church threat-
ened them with excommunication.
,ex-'con n slang a former prisoner
ex-co-ri-ate /ɪk'skɔ:rieɪt/ v [T] [m] to express a very bad
opinion of (a book, play, performance etc): an excoriating
review —ation /ˌɪkˌskɔ:ri'eɪʃən/ n [C;U]
ex-cre-ment /'ekskrɪmənt/ n [U] [m] the solid waste matter
passed from the body through the BOWELS