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Esp. in a good sense: The quality or state of deserving well; worth; excellence. Reputation is ... oft got without merit, and lost without deserving. Shak. To him the wit of Greece and Rome was known, And every author's merit, but his own. Pope.

The quality or state of being noble; superiority of mind or of character; commanding excellence; eminence. Though she hated Amphialus, yet the nobility of her courage prevailed over it. Sir P. Sidney. They thought it great their sovereign to control, And named their pride nobility of soul. Dryden.

Something of unequaled excellence; a peerless thing or person; a nonesuch; -- often used as a name.

Of common rank, quality, or ability; not distinguished by superior excellence or beauty; hence, not distinguished in any way; commonplace; inferior; of little merit; as, men of ordinary judgment; an ordinary book. An ordinary lad would have acquired little or no useful knowledge in such a way. Macaulay. Ordinary seaman…

Above; -- implying superiority in excellence, dignity, condition, or value; as, the advantages which the Christian world has over the heathen. Swift.

To make of less importance, or throw into the background, by superior excellence; to dwarf; to obscure. Becon.

A writer of memoirs of religious persona, as examples of Christian excellence.

A model or pattern; a pattern of excellence or perfection; as, a paragon of beauty or eloquence. Udall. Man, . . . the paragon of animals ! Shak. The riches of sweet Mary's son, Boy-rabbi, Israel's paragon. Emerson.

hat nothing requisite is wanting; entire development; consummate culture, skill, or moral excellence; the highest attainable state or degree of excellence; maturity; as, perfection in an art, in a science, or in a system; perfection in form or degree; fruits in perfection.

persons of opposite sex, unmixed with carnal desires, and regarding the mind only and its excellences; -- a species of love for which Plato was a warm advocate. -- Platonic year (Astron.), a period of time determined by the revolution of the equinoxes, or the space of time in which the stars and constellations return…

The European redwing. [Prov. Eng.] Pop corn. (a) Corn, or maize, of peculiar excellence for popping; especially, a kind the grains of which are small and compact. (b) Popped corn; which has been popped.

ppening, being, or existing. "All possibility of error." Hooker. "Latent possibilities of excellence." Johnson.

; to glorify on account of perfections or excellent works; to do honor to; to display the excellence of; -- applied especially to the Divine Being. Praise ye him, all his angels; praise ye him, all his hosts! Ps. cxlviii. 2.

Excellence; superiority. [Obs.] Sheldon.

or in strength, influence, or authority; prevailing; as, a predominant color; predominant excellence. Those help . . . were predominant in the king's mind. Bacon. Foul subordination is predominant. Shak.

The quality or state of being preëminent; superiority in prominence or in excellence; distinction above others in quality, rank, etc.; rarely, in a bad sense, superiority or notoriety in evil; as, preëminence in honor. The preëminence of Christianity to any other religious scheme. Addison. Painful preëminence! yourself…

Eminent above others; prominent among those who are eminent; superior in excellence; surpassing, or taking precedence of, others; rarely, surpassing others in evil, or in bad qualities; as, preëminent in guilt. In goodness and in power preëminent. Milton.

Value; estimation; excellence; worth. Her price is far above rubies. Prov. xxxi. 10. New treasures still, of countless price. Keble.

Ore selected for excellence.

First in excellence; of highest quality; as, prime wheat; a prime quality of cloth.