exalt
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ex·alt /ɪɡˈzːlt/ v [T] fml 1 to praise (especially God, a person,
or their qualities) highly 2 to raise (a person) to a high rank
→ compare EXULT
ex·al·ta·tion /ˌeɡzɔːlˈteɪʃən, ˌeksɔːl-/ n [U] fml or lit a very
strong feeling of happiness, power etc
ex·alt·ed /ɪɡˈzɔːltɪd/ adj 1 (of a person or their position) of
high rank: He felt very humble in such exalted company. 2 fml
or lit filled with exaltation —→ly adv
ex·am /ɪɡˈzæm/ n 1 also examination fml — a spoken or
written test of knowledge: Did you pass your history exam? |
When will we know the exam results? | She failed her exams
and she's going to have to take them again. 2 AmE infml a
medical examination
ex'am board also ex,ami'nation board n BrE an organi-
zation that writes examination papers and marks students'
answers: the Cambridge Examination Board
ex·am·i·na·tion /ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃən/ n 1 [C] fml an
exam 2 [C;U] (an act of) examining: Before we can offer you
the job, you'll have to have/undergo a medical examination. |
The examination of all the witnesses took a week. | The
committee's proposals are still under examination. (=being
examined) → see also PHYSICAL²
ex,ami'nation paper n fml for PAPER¹
ex·am·ine /ɪɡˈzæmɪn/ v [T] 1 to look at, inquire into, or
consider (a person or thing) closely and carefully, in order to
find out something: The doctor examined her carefully. | My
luggage was closely examined when I entered the country. |
The police examined the room for fingerprints. | to examine
accounts/evidence/economic policy 2 [(on)] to ask (a person)
questions in order to find out something, for example in a
court of law: The witness was examined on her relationship
with the accused. → see also CROSS-EXAMINE 3 [(in, on)] fml to
test (a person's) knowledge by means of an exam: You will be
examined in French and German/on your knowledge of
American history. —iner n: This candidate has failed to
satisfy the examiners. (=has not passed the exam)
ex'am paper n PAPER
ex·am·ple /ɪɡˈzɑmpəl||ɪɡˈzæm-/ n 1 [(of)] something taken
from a number of things of the same kind, which shows the
usual quality of the rest or shows a general rule: This church
is a wonderful example/a classic example of medieval
architecture. | You have said there are several suitable
machines to do this job; can you give me any examples?
(=mention some types) 2 [(to)] apprec a person, or a person's
behaviour, that is worthy of being copied: Mary's courage is
an example to us all. 3 [(to)] a piece of behaviour or way of
acting that may be copied by other people: She arrived at
the office early, to set a good example to the others. | He
followed his brother's example by setting up a small design
agency. 4 for example abbrev. e.g. here is one of the things
or people just spoken of: A lot of us want to leave now – Bill,
for example/for example, Bill. 5 make an example of
someone to punish someone so that others will be afraid to
behave as they did → see also EXEMPLIFY
When we ourselves are an example to be copied,
we set an example: Drink your milk and set a good
example to the other children! When we invent an
example to explain what we mean we give an example:
She talked about large animals and gave elephants as an
example.
ex·as·pe·rate /ɪɡˈzɑspəreɪt||ɪɡˈzæ-/ v [T usually pass.] to
annoy or make extremely angry, especially by testing the
patience of: I was exasperated by/at all the delays.
—ratedly adv —ration /ɪɡˌzɑːspəˈreɪʃən||ɪɡˌzæ-/ n [U] In
sheer exasperation, she gave the machine a kick.
ex·as·pe·ra·ting /ɪɡˈzɑspəreɪtŋ||ɪɡzæ-/ adj extremely
annoying: He's really a most exasperating man! —ratingly
adv: exasperatingly slow
Ex·cal·i·bur /ekˈskælɪbə/ the name of the sword belong-
ing to King Arthur → see also ARTHURIAN LEGEND
ex·ca·vate /ˈekskəveɪt/ v [I;T] 1 to make (a hole) by dig-
ging: They plan to excavate a large hole before putting in the
foundations. 2 to uncover (something from an earlier time
under the earth) by digging: Schliemann excavated the
ancient city of Troy. —vation /ˌekskəˈveɪʃən/ n [C;U] The
excavation of the buried city took a long time. | archaeological
excavations
ex·ca·va·tor /ˈekskəveɪtər/ n 1 also steam shovel AmE — a
large machine that digs and moves earth in a bucket at the
end of a long arm 2 a person who excavates
ex·ceed /ɪkˈsiːd/ v [T] 1 to be greater than: The cost will not
exceed £50. | The cost of the damage exceeded (=was worse
than) our worst fears. | The amount of money we raised
exceeded all our expectations. (=was better than we had
hoped for) 2 derog to do more than (what is legal, necessary
etc): He was fined for exceeding (=driving faster than) the
speed limit.
ex·ceed·ing·ly /ɪkˈsiːdɪŋli/ adv extremely; to an unusual
degree: They were exceedingly kind to me.
ex·cel /ɪkˈsel/ v -ll- [I;T(at, in) not in progressive forms] fml to be the
best or better than: When it comes to singing, she really
excels. | He's never excelled at games. (=isn't very good at
them) | What a marvellous meal, Jim! You've really excelled
yourself. (=done even better than usual)
ex·cel·lence /ˈeksələns/ n [U] the quality of being excel-
lent: the excellence of her cooking
Ex·cel·len·cy /ˈeksələnsi/ n Your/His/Her Excellency a
title of respect for a state official of high rank, especially an
AMBASSADOR: His Excellency the Spanish Ambassador →
compare GRACE
ex·cel·lent /ˈeksələnt/ adj extremely good; of very high
quality: Your examination results are excellent. | They are in
excellent health. | The food was excellent. | an excellent idea
—→ly adv
ex·cept¹ /ɪkˈsept/ prep not including; leaving out; but not:
Everyone was tired except John. | Everyone except John was
tired. | I can take my holidays at any time except in August. | I
know nothing about him except that he lives next door. | I
know nothing about the accident except what I read in the
paper. | You can't get credit except by making special arrange-
ments with management. → see besides (USAGE), BUT²
(USAGE)
except² conj 1 apart from: I can do everything around the
house except cook. 2 infml but: I would go, except it's too
far. 3 except for: a) apart from; with the EXCEPTION of:
Except for one old lady, the bus was empty. | The road was
empty except for a few cars. b) (only before nouns and
PRONOUNS) except: Everyone was tired except John. |
Except for John, everyone was tired. c) if it were not for; but
for (BUT): She would have left her husband years ago except
for the children.
except³ v [T(from)] fml to leave out from a number or group;
not include: You will all be punished; I can except no one.
ex·cept·ed /ɪkˈseptɪd/ adj [after n] apart from; except for:
Everyone, John excepted, was tired. | John excepted, everyone
was tired. | The people at this party are really boring –
present company excepted of course! (=not including you)
ex·