Also 7–8 exh-. [f. EXORBITANT: see -ANCE. Cf. Fr. exorbitance.] The quality or condition of being exorbitant.

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  † 1.  Divergence or aberration from the prescribed or ordinary track; eccentricity, irregularity, anomaly, or an instance of these. Also, aberration of mind; an attack of insanity. Obs. or arch.

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1631.  Preston, Life Eternal (1634), 26. Now, whence comes this uneven walking, this exorbitance of the wheeles.

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1663.  J. Spencer, Prodigies, 133. All these exorbitances in Nature serve to foil and set off the general beauty … of its Works.

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1684.  trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., XI. 373/2. The first exorbitance [in a case of mania] was very violent, and lasted for ten months.

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1685.  Boyle, Enq. Notion Nat., 149. I shall not here mention those Grand Anomalies, or Exorbitances.

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1707.  Floyer, Physic. Pulse-Watch, 186. By the Pulse we find by what Method we must regulate all Exorbitances.

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1842.  De Quincey, Philos. Herodotus, Wks. IX. 208. Our growing exorbitance from our limits warns us to desist.

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  2.  Divergence from the right path; transgression of law or morality; misconduct, lawlessness, criminality; an instance of the same. arch.

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1611.  Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. viii. § 58. A project … So execrable, as well may justifie King Johns exorbitances.

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a. 1618.  Sylvester, St. Lewis, 324. Eyes deep-vail’d with Ignorance Or Knowledge stained with Sinnes Exorbitance.

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1663.  Gerbier, Counsel, D v b. Beware of ill Builders … since by their exorbitances, happen many irreparable accidents.

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1769.  Hist. Europe, in Ann. Reg., 32/2. A picture … sullied with the most dreadful exhorbitances.

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1810.  Scott, Lady of L., II. xxviii. foot-n., The Border robbers … had committed many exorbitances.

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1850.  Grote, Greece, II. lv. (1862), V. 30. Such unprincipled exorbitances of behaviour.

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  3.  Excessiveness, extravagance; an instance of this. Now chiefly, outrageous excessiveness, of demands, charges, prices, estimates, etc.

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1646.  Mrq. Ormond, in Carte, Life (1735), III. 470. To heighten the exhorbitance of their expectations and demands.

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1706.  Garth, Dispens. (ed. 6), II. 19. They riot still, Unbounded in Exorbitance of Ill.

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1793.  Bp. Horsley, Serm. (1824), I. 198. The barriers … against … the exorbitance of licentiousness … will soon be borne down.

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1845.  McCulloch, Taxation, II. v. (1852), 212. The exorbitance of the duties on tea and tobacco.

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1868.  Browning, Ring & Bk., X. 186. The exorbitance Of sin in this one sinner.

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1884.  Law Rep. 26 Chanc. Div. 240. The exorbitance of Hobson’s charge for collecting the debts.

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