[f. as prec. + -ING1.]
1. a. The action of the verb EXCEED, in various senses. † b. An instance of the same; an unusual action, a performance in excess of what is requisite (obs.). † c. The quality of surpassing others; superiority, excellence (obs.).
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., II. (1520), 13/2. Salamon … of the gyfte of our lorde hadde a synguler excedynge above all men.
1593. Tell-Troth’s N. Y. Gift, 29. No more will … a frend crosse her louing exceedinges, in whome his hart delighteth.
1636. Featly, Clavis Myst., viii. 102. Our defects as well as our exceedings.
a. 1656. Bp. Hall, Occas. Medit. (1851), 91. But these exceedings should be both rare and moderate.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 21, ¶ 2. There has been a great Exceeding of late Years in the second Division.
2. concr. a. pl. In college language (still used at Cambridge): Extra commons allowed on festival occasions. Also transf. Cf. EXCEED 6. [So L. excedentia in Oxf. Accts. c. 1400.]
1629. Massinger, Picture, V. i. (1630), L 4. They … hold chese parings … For festiuall exceedings.
1655. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., I. (1661), 297. His joys…. They are as exceedings, with which he feasts the believer, but the cloth is soon drawn.
1662. J. Strype, in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 178. Sometimes we have Exceedings; then we have two or three dishes … otherwise never but one.
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), II. 199. Certain … Virtuosos … unsatisfied with the Brevity of the Gazette desire to have Exceedings of News, besides their ordinary Commons.
1885. L. Stephen, Life H. Fawcett, iii. 77. The Christmas ‘exceedings’ as they were called in our official language, had a certain reputation.
† b. chiefly pl. An amount (of funds, goods, etc.) in excess of calculation, or of what is usual; an excess, a surplus. Obs.
1719. W. Wood, Surv. Trade, 54. The Exceedings of the year 1712, which had so prodigious a Ballance in our Favour.
1796. Burke, Regic. Peace, iii. Wks. VIII. 416–7. Including the fisheries, and making a moderate allowance for the exceedings … beyond his calculations.
1828. Ld. Grenville, Sink. Fund, 5. Without such an exceeding … a sinking fund … can have no solid operation.
1833. Lamb, Elia (1860), 384. Much ado we used to have every … December to account for our exceedings.
