excurse

plural excurses · alternative obsolete excourse

1. Synonym of excursus.
   1. A fuller discussion (usually in a separate section at the end of a chapter or book) of a particular part of the text of a work, especially a Bible commentary or classical Greek or Latin text.

      Actually, the passage occurs in an excurse in the edictal commentary, the exact meaning of which is unknown; […]

      1959, A[braham] Arthur Schiller, “Senatus Consulta in the Principate”, in Tulane Law Review, volume 33, New Orleans, La.: Tulane Law Review Association, →ISSN, →OCLC, footnote 71, page 500; republished in An American Experience in Roman law: Writings from Publications in the United States, Göttingen, Lower Saxony: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1971, →OCLC, page 170

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      Prof. [Ernst] Kuhn shows further that the original version seems to have been better preserved in the Arabic text, at least so far as the end of the tale is concerned. In two Excurses, pp. 40–45 and 45–50, he examines the Hebrew version of [Abraham ben Samuel ha-Levi] Ibn Hisdai (c. 1250) and the Greek; […]

      1894, M[oses] Gaster, “E. Kuhn. Barlaam und Joasaph. Eine bibliographisch-literargeschichtliche studie. […] (A Bibliographical and Literary Study about the Legend of Barlaam and Joasaph.)”, in The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland […] , London: […] [T]he Society, […], →ISSN, →OCLC, page 403

   2. An act of departing from the main narrative in speech or writing to discuss an incidental issue; a digression.

      [A]fter this littel excourse, I will agayne drawe backe to mie purpose.

      [c. 1550?], Polydore Vergil, translated by [anonymous], “The Sixth Booke […]”, in Henry Ellis, editor, Polydore Vergil’s English History, […] (Works of the Camden Society; 36), volume I (Containing the First Eight Books, […]), London: […] [F]or the Camden Society, by John Bowyer Nichols and Son, […], published 1846, →OCLC, page 236

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      By the labors of the Bridgewater writers, the argument has been cleared of many extraneous and unnecessary excurses.

      1859, James B[arr] Walker, “Introductory. The Present Position and Bearings of the Argument Stated.”, in Sacred Philosophy. God Revealed in the Process of Creation, and by the Manifestation of Jesus Christ; […], Boston, Mass.: Gould and Lincoln, […]; New York, N.Y.: Sheldon, Lamport & Blakeman, […], →OCLC, pages 24–25

      Sometimes, there are overlong excurses in drawing out parallels with other Victorians.

      2013 November 29, Geoffrey Rowell, “John Henry [Newman]’s Relations”, in Church Times, London: G[eorge] J[osiah] Palmer & Sons, →ISSN, →OCLC, Christmas book supplement, page xi, column 5

2. obsoleteAn act of moving or rushing forward or out; specifically (military) an attack or incursion by troops; a foray, a sally, a sortie.

   Egreſſus eius a patre, regreſſus eius ad patrem, excurſus uſq; ad inferos, recurſus ad ſedem Dei.

   [1555], Edmonde [Bonner], “The Position or Declaration Concernyng the Sixte Article of the Crede, […]”, in A Profitable and Necessarye Doctryne, […], London: […] Ihon Cawodde, […], →OCLC, signature G, recto

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   [M]any other places he aſſayled and inuaded moꝛe ĩwardly [inwardly] in yͤ contrey by excourſes of his hoꝛſmen.

   [1520?], Salust, translated by Alexander Barclay, “How Iugurth Inuaded the Kyngdome of Adherball Yet Ones Agayne: And How Adherball Agayne was Ouercome in Batayle: ⁊ Put to Flyght”, in […] [T]he Famous Cronycle of the Warre⸝ Which the Romayns Had agaynst Iugurth […], London: […] Rycharde Pynson⸝ […], →OCLC, folios xix, verso – xx, recto

   Then ensewed Duncanus and Maccabœus, a manne notorius for his wiccadnes and bowldnes, who bie plaine force entred on the kingdom; but, after this littel excourse, I will agayne drawe backe to mie purpose.

   [c. 1550?], Polydore Vergil, translated by [anonymous], “The Sixth Booke […]”, in Henry Ellis, editor, Polydore Vergil’s English History, […] (Works of the Camden Society; 36), volume I (Containing the First Eight Books, […]), London: […] [F]or the Camden Society, by John Bowyer Nichols and Son, […], published 1846, →OCLC, pages 235–236

   Ad hæc fratetnitati^([sic]) tuæ præcipiendo modo quo te in Cantuarienſem Eccleſiam recipias, & paucis quidem clericis retêtis admodū neceſſariis, ad minus quam poteris per terram illam diſcurras.

   1563 March 30 (Gregorian calendar), Alexander Pope [i.e., Pope Alexander III], “Alexander Pope, to Thomas [Becket] Archbishop of Canterbury”, in John Foxe, Actes and Monuments of These Latter and Perillous Dayes, […], London: […] Iohn Day, […], →OCLC, book I, page 52 [71], column 2

   But foꝛſomuch as now not caring foꝛ thy oth, noꝛ regarding the ſafetie of thy hoſtages, thou haſt ſo fondlie ⁊ lewdlie paſſed thy bounds: I am to require thée, that thou doo retire and withdꝛaw theſe excurſes of ſtrangers; […]

   1587 January, Giraldus Cambrensis [i.e., Gerald of Wales], translated by Iohn Hooker, “[The Irish Historie […]] The Besieging and Taking of the Citie of Dublin”, in Raphael Holinshed, The Second Volume of Chronicles: Conteining the Description, Conquest, Inhabitation, and Troublesome Estate of Ireland; […], 2nd edition, volume II, London: […] [Henry Denham] […] at the expenses of Iohn Harison, George Bishop, Rafe Newberie, Henrie Denham, and Thomas Woodcocke, →OCLC, page 15, column 1, lines 35–39

   As a Twigg, after inflexion, doth return beyond the middle, or line of directneſs, and goes and comes frequently, till it hath overcome the firſt impreſſed motion, and recovered its natural ſite becauſe after the firſt Reflexion is made, a ſecond ſucceeds, for the ſame reaſon, as the firſt, a third for the ſame reason as the ſecond, and ſo a fourth, fifth, &c. ſucceſſively: So alſo, is it neceſſary, that many Vibrations, or Excurſes and Recurſes be alternately made, by a Chord diſtended and percuſſed; becauſe the ſame cauſe remains to the ſecond, third, fourth, &c. which was to the firſt.

   1654, Walter Charleton, “The Reason of the Frequent Vibrations, or Diadroms of Lutestrings, & Other Tractile Bodies; […]”, in Physiologia Epicuro-Gassendo-Charltoniana: or A Fabrick of Science Natural, upon the Hypothesis of Atoms, […], 1st part, London: […] Tho[mas] Newcomb, for Thomas Heath, […], →OCLC, book III, chapter XIV (Softness, Hardness, Flexility, Tractility, Ductility, &c.), section II, page 334

3. obsoleteA chance or way to move out from a place.

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   In that onelie part of this ilonde even unto this presente continueth the nation of Britons, which in the beginning, havinge thether excourse owt of Fraunce, did occupie the ilonde (if they are to be credited which firmelie assevere that the firste inhabitantes of Britaine came owte of Armoricke, that is to say litle Britayne, as hereafter wee will make rehearsall).

   [c. 1550?], Polydore Vergil, translated by [anonymous], “The First Booke […]”, in Henry Ellis, editor, Polydore Vergil’s English History, […] (Works of the Camden Society; 36), volume I (Containing the First Eight Books, […]), London: […] [F]or the Camden Society, by John Bowyer Nichols and Son, […], published 1846, →OCLC, page 14

present singular third person excurses · participle present excursing · participle past excursed · past excursed · alternative obsolete excourse

1. archaicintransitiveTo make a journey or trip, especially a brief excursion; to journey, to travel.

   Ralph Palmer has just passed the week with me, and we have excoursed to the environs.

   1899 August 20 (date written), Henry Adams, “Paris and Italy [To John Hay]”, in Worthington Chauncey Ford, editor, Letters of Henry Adams (1892–1918), Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton Mifflin Company, published 1938 (1969 printing), →OCLC, page 235

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   In which of the nine hundred ſtreets—I mean lanes—of this capital of the world—for vvho can diſpute a Pariſian’s word, who never has excurſed beyond the gates?

   1769, [John Hall-Stevenson], “The Tilt of Arms. Paris and London.”, in Yorick’s Sentimental Journey, Continued. […], volume III, London: […] S. Bladon, […], →OCLC, pages 65–66

   Let's all help our bodies get over what we did to them this winter by taking an excursion to Grace Spa. Or pick the spa of your choice. But it was Grace Spa that I excursed to and that I'm writing about firsthand.

   2015 April 8, Dina Mishev, “Facial Refreshes Skin after Winter Outdoors”, in Jackson Hole News&Guide, Jackson, Wyo.: Teton Media Works, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 09 Oct 2025, “Stepping Out” section, page 4

   There was a notable lack of security, ostensibly because the place was so isolated, although it seems that journalists still thronged about the borders, leaping from beds of nettles to catch a glimpse of the royal party off excursing.

   2017, Annie Gray, “Private Palaces”, in The Greedy Queen: Eating with Victoria, London: Profile Books, →ISBN, page 142

   Synonyms: excur, sally

2. archaicfigurativelyintransitiveTo depart from the main narrative in speech or writing to discuss an incidental issue; to digress.

   But hovv I excurſe!—Yet thou uſedſt to ſay, thou likedſt my excurſions. If thou doſt, thou’lt have enovv of them: For I never had a ſubject I ſo much adored; […]

   1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XIII. From Mr. Lovelace; In Continuation.”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume III, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLC, page 91

   Synonyms: excur

3. obsoletetransitiveTo make a journey or trip to, or to pass through, (a place), especially on a brief excursion.

   The British Women brought all the powers of their Temperance Association to bear on the great crowd of Welshmen and other foreigners who "excursed" Cheltenham for the day.

   1901 April 13, Touchstone [pseudonym], “By the Way”, in Cheltenham Chronicle and Gloucestershire Graphic (Art and Literary Supplement), 2nd edition, number 4760 (New Series), Cheltenham, Gloucestershire: Cheltenham Newspaper Company, →OCLC, page [3], column 2

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   I was delighted with Rome, and was on horseback all round it many hours daily, besides in it the rest of my time, bothering over its marvels. I excursed and skirred the country round to Alba, Tivoli, Frescati, Licenza, &c. &c.; besides, I visited twice the Fall of Terni, which beats every thing.

   1817 June 4, Lord Byron, “Letter CCLXXXI. To Mr. [John] Murray.”, in Thomas Moore, editor, Letters and Journals of Lord Byron: With Notices of His Life, […], volume II, London: John Murray, […], published 1830, →OCLC, pages 121–122