Also 6–7 -sy, -sie. [f. as prec.: see -ENCY.]
1. Excrescent state or condition; the quality or fact of growing out or forth; abnormal or excessive development; an instance of the same. † In early use also: An exuberant outburst, an extravagance.
1638. Featley, Strict. Lyndom., II. 12. The excrescensie and superabundance of Saints satisfactions.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., Exhort. § 7. Some Saints have had excrescencies and eruptions of holiness in the instances of uncommanded duties. Ibid., I. ii. § 25. Our Fasts … and all exteriour acts of religion are to be guided by our Superiour, if he sees cause to asswage any excrescencie.
1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet., 172. The Deduction and Moderation of their [the Nails’] Excrescencie to a just extendure.
a. 1661. Holyday, Juvenal, 149. An extraordinary excrescency of bones below … the rump bone.
1748. trans. Vegetius’ Distemp. Horses, 202. If there is an Excrescency of Flesh, you shall boil Grass with Oil and put it in it.
† 2. Something that is excrescent; an outgrowth; = EXCRESCENCE 2. Often applied to fungi. Obs.
1545. Raynold, Byrth Mankynde, 146. Warts and suche lyke excrescensys on the face.
1597. Gerard, Herbal, clxii. 1384. The earthie excrescencies, called Mushrums.
1648. Hunting of Fox, 5. Pruned of their luxuriant excrescencies.
1646. J. Hall, Poems, Pref. A Mushrome though but an excrescency, well drest is no poyson, but a Salad.
1653–5. H. More, Antid. Ath., II. xi. (1712), 73. The red pugger’d attire of the Turky, and the long Excrescency that hangs down over his Bill.
1704. Swift, Batt. Bks. (1711), 246. Excrescencies in form of Teats.
1736. Bailey, Excrescency, that which sticks to or grows upon another thing, as cat’s tails upon a nut-tree, &c.
† 3. An abnormal, morbid or unsightly outgrowth; = EXCRESCENCE 3. Obs.
1641. Milton, Reform., II. (1851), 43. A huge and monstrous Wen little lesse then the Head it selfe, growing to it by a narrower excrescency.
1691. Ray, Creation (1701), II. 236. A large Wen upon our Faces … or any the like superfluous Excrescency.
b. transf. and fig.
1649. Milton, Eikon., xi. (1851), 424. Hee … would have onely the excrescencies of evil prun’d away for the present.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm., Wks. 1716, I. 158. Oaths as they commonly pass are mere excrescensies of speech.
1713. Guardian, No. 1, ¶ 5. Ambition, lust, envy, and revenge are excrescencies of the mind.
1756–82. J. Warton, Ess. Pope (1782), I. III. 132. The two last books of the Iliad may be thought not to be excrescencies but essential to the poem.
