Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Excel
9 dictionary results for: excel
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
ex·cel       [ik-sel] Pronunciation Key verb, -celled, -cel·ling.
–verb (used without object)
1.to surpass others or be superior in some respect or area; do extremely well: to excel in math.
–verb (used with object)
2.to surpass; be superior to; outdo: He excels all other poets of his day.

[Origin: 1400–50; late ME excellen < L excellere, equiv. to ex- ex-1 + -cellere to rise high, tower (akin to celsus high)]

2. outstrip, eclipse, transcend, exceed, top, beat. Excel, outdo, surpass imply being better than others or being superior in achievement. To excel is to be superior in some quality, attainment, or performance: to excel opponents at playing chess. To outdo is to make more successful effort than others: to outdo competitors in the high jump. To surpass is to go beyond others, esp. in a contest as to quality or ability: to surpass one's classmates in knowledge of corporation law.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
ex·cel       (ĭk-sěl')  Pronunciation Key 
v.   ex·celled, ex·cel·ling, ex·cels

v.   tr.
To do or be better than; surpass.

v.   intr.
To show superiority; surpass others.


[Middle English excellen, from Latin excellere; see kel-2 in Indo-European roots.]

Synonyms: These verbs mean to be or go beyond a limit or standard. To excel is to be preeminent (excels at figure skating) or to be at a level higher than another or others (excelled her father as a lawyer). To surpass another is to be superior in performance, quality, or degree: an athlete surpassed by none.
Exceed can refer to being superior (an invention that exceeds all others in ingenuity), to being greater than another (a salary exceeding 70 thousand dollars a year), and to going beyond a proper limit (exceed one's authority). Transcend often implies the attainment of a level so high that comparison is hardly possible: Great art transcends mere rules of composition.
To outdo is to excel in doing or performing: won't be outdone in generosity.
Outstrip strongly suggests leaving another behind, as in a contest: a case of the student outstripping the teacher.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
excel 
c.1408, from L. excellere "to rise, surpass, be eminent," from ex- "out from" + -cellere "rise high, tower," related to celsus "high, lofty, great," from PIE base *kel-/*kol- "to rise, be elevated" (see hill).

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
excel

verb
distinguish oneself; "She excelled in math" 

U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This

Excel, AL (town, FIPS 24880) Location: 31.42617 N, 87.34242 W
Population (1990): 571 (220 housing units)
Area: 4.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Excel

Ex*cel"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Excelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Excelling.] [L. excellere, excelsum; ex out + a root found in culmen height, top; cf. F. exceller. See Culminate, Column.]

1. To go beyond or surpass in good qualities or laudable deeds; to outdo or outgo, in a good sense.

Excelling others, these were great; Thou, greater still, must these excel. --Prior.

I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. --Eccl. ii. 13.

2. To exceed or go beyond; to surpass.

She opened; but to shut Excelled her power; the gates wide open stood. --Milton.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Excel

Ex*cel"\, v. i. To surpass others in good qualities, laudable actions, or acquirements; to be distinguished by superiority; as, to excel in mathematics, or classics.

Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel. --Gen. xlix. 4.

Then peers grew proud in horsemanship t' excel. --Pope.

Acronym Finder - Cite This Source - Share This

EXCEL

EXCEL: in Acronym Finder

Share This:Share This: digg.comShare This: ma.gnolia.comShare This: www.stumbleupon.comShare This: del.icio.usShare This: FacebookShare This: favorites.live.comShare This: www.technorati.comShare This: furl.netShare This: myweb2.search.yahoo.comShare This: www.google.com