excess
excess — adjective
- excesspositive
- more excesscomparative
- most excesssuperlative
1. describes something that exists in an amount larger than what is normal, necessa
describes something that exists in an amount larger than what is normal, necessary, or wanted — for example, charging for an extra suitcase or having body weight that is not healthy.
The airline charged Ingrid £55 for her excess luggage at the airport counter.
collocation: excess luggage / excess baggage
After the wedding, Shirin packed the excess food into boxes for guests to take home.
Doctors told Ravindra that his excess weight strained his knees and heart.
The factory stored its excess inventory in a rented warehouse outside the city.
- insufficient
not enough to meet a need, the opposite of having too much
- inadequate
less than what is required or desired
文法句型
excess + noun
用法筆記
Used only before a noun (attributive position). You cannot say 'The luggage is excess' — instead say 'The luggage is in excess' or 'There is excess luggage.'
常見錯誤
excess — noun
1. a quantity of something that is greater than what people consider normal, accept
a quantity of something that is greater than what people consider normal, acceptable, or permitted — often used when warning about the negative effects of having too much of something.
An excess of salt in your diet can cause high blood pressure over time.
pattern: an excess of + noun
The company produced an excess of cars that nobody wanted to buy.
Eitan donated his excess of winter coats to a charity that helps homeless people.
The building project will cost in excess of two million dollars, according to Lotte's estimate.
文法句型
an/the excess of + noun
in excess of + quantity
用法筆記
The fixed phrase 'in excess of' is formal and is used before numbers or quantities to mean 'more than.' It is common in financial, legal, and academic writing.
常見錯誤
2. conduct in which a person overindulges in pleasurable activities — such as heavy
conduct in which a person overindulges in pleasurable activities — such as heavy drinking, eating, or spending — to the point of harming their health, finances, or relationships.
Heloísa's friends worried about her excess in drinking at every party they attended.
pattern: excess in + gerund/noun
The documentary shows how a life of excess ruined the careers of several famous musicians.
After years of excess, the actor entered a rehabilitation programme to recover his health.
Aoi drank to excess at the company dinner and regretted it the next morning.
- overindulgence
more specific to consumption of food, drink, or pleasure; 'excess' is broader
- extravagance
focuses on wasteful spending rather than general overdoing of an activity
- intemperance
formal and moralistic; suggests a lack of self-control in drinking or eating
- moderation
the practice of keeping within reasonable limits
- restraint
the quality of controlling one's own behaviour
文法句型
excess in + noun/gerund
to excess
用法筆記
This sense is often used in the plural form 'excesses' to refer to specific acts of extreme behaviour, as in 'the excesses of the aristocracy.' It appears frequently in formal writing, historical texts, and literary criticism.
常見錯誤
3. the fixed amount of money that a person must contribute when making an insurance
the fixed amount of money that a person must contribute when making an insurance claim, before the insurance company covers the remaining cost of the loss or damage.
Lakan had to pay a £300 excess before the insurance company repaired his car.
pattern: pay + [amount] + excess
When choosing home insurance, a higher excess usually means a lower monthly premium.
Nia checked her travel policy to learn the excess for lost luggage.
The plumber's bill was under the excess, so Ignacio paid out of pocket.
- deductible
the American English equivalent; identical in meaning but used in different regions
文法句型
pay an excess
excess on + policy
用法筆記
This sense is primarily British English. In American English, the same concept is called a 'deductible.' The term 'excess' is standard in UK, Australian, and New Zealand insurance policies.
常見錯誤
excess — verb
- excesspresent simple I / you / we / they
- excesses3rd person singular
- excessing-ing form
- excessedpast simple
1. when a company removes a person from their job by eliminating that position enti
when a company removes a person from their job by eliminating that position entirely, typically as part of a restructuring or cost-cutting plan rather than for poor performance.
Christopher was excessed from his management role when the department was merged with another team.
passive: be excessed from + role
The school board excessed three teachers after the budget cuts forced them to reduce staff.
active: excess + [person] + from [position]
Eve was excessed along with fifteen other employees when the factory moved its operations overseas.
After the merger, the company excessed several managers whose roles no longer existed.
- lay off
more common in everyday speech; can be temporary or permanent
- make redundant
the British English equivalent; broader usage across UK employment contexts
文法句型
be excessed + from + position/company
用法筆記
This verb is rare and mostly used in US legal, educational, and corporate contexts. It differs from 'fire' because it implies the position itself was eliminated, not that the person performed poorly. The passive form ('be excessed') is far more common than the active form.