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ality or the sum of qualities; of great worth; eminent, in a good sense; superior; as, an excellent man, artist, citizen, husband, discourse, book, song, etc.; excellent breeding, principles, aims, action. To love . . . What I see excellent in good or fair. Milton.

In an excellent manner; well in a high degree.

Excellent in an uncommon degree; very excellent. Drayton.

An abridgment; a compendium or abstract. This is an excellent abbreviature of the whole duty of a Christian. Jer. Taylor.

a taste." Addison. His acquirements by industry were . . . enriched and enlarged by many excellent endowments of nature. Hayward.

ng qualities to excite wonder united with approbation; deserving the highest praise; most excellent; -- used of persons or things. "An admirable machine." "Admirable fortitude." Macaulay.

Divinely excellent or beautiful. "Shakes his ambrosial curls." Pope.

; to cause to appear well; -- said of persons and things. It becomes me so to speak of so excellent a poet. Dryden. I have known persons so anxious to have their dress become them, as to convert it, at length, into their proper self, and thus actually to become the dress. Coleridge.

ng good qualities in the highest degree; most good, kind, desirable, suitable, etc.; most excellent; as, the best man; the best road; the best cloth; the best abilities. When he is best, he is a little worse than a man. Shak. Heaven's last, best gift, my ever new delight. Milton.

In a superior or more excellent manner; with more skill and wisdom, courage, virtue, advantage, or success; as, Henry writes better than John; veterans fight better than recruits. I could have better spared a better man. Shak.

The black sea bass (Centropristis atrarius) of the Atlantic coast. It is excellent food fish; -- locally called also black Harry.

To mark with deformity; to injure or impair, as anything which is well formed, or excellent; to mar, or make defective, either the body or mind. Sin is a soil which blemisheth the beauty of thy soul. Brathwait.

source of. [Usually in an opprobrious sense.] J. H. Newman. He was at the bottom of many excellent counsels. Addison. -- To go to the bottom, to sink; esp. to be wrecked. -- To touch bottom, to reach the lowest point; to find something on which to rest.

Well done! excellent! an exclamation expressive of applause.

he voice with the lungs, which lie within the breast. [Obs.] By my troth, the fool has an excellent breast. Shak. Breast drill, a portable drilling machine, provided with a breastplate, for forcing the drill against the work. -- Breast pang. See Angina pectoris, under Angina. -- To make a clean breast, to disclose th…

ation. Here is a lady that wants breathing too; And I have heard, you knights of Tyre Are excellent in making ladies trip. Shak.

Fine; excellent; as, a bully horse. [Slang, U.S.]

Of first rate quality; excellent; as, a capital speech or song. [Colloq.]

In a capital manner; excellently. [Colloq.]

, mostly natives of Australia. Some of them are large, producing hard and heavy timber of excellent quality, called beefwood from its color.