a. and sb. Also 6 exorbytant, 6–8 exhorbitant, -ent. [ad. late L. exorbitant-em, pr. pple. of exorbitāre to go out of the track, f. ex- out + orbita wheel-track: see ORBIT. Cf. Fr. exorbitant.] A. adj.
† 1. Leaving a specified track; deviating from a specified rule or principle. Of remarks, discussions, etc.: Wandering from the subject, irrelevant. Obs.
1534. Whitinton, Tullyes Offices, I. (1540), 46. Suche play as is not exorbytant fro the exercyse of honesty.
1599. Broughton’s Lett., ix. 30. A … gouernment, exorbitant from the milde course of law and iustice.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 369. Having but mentioned such a story, it is not exorbitant to add in one word other fictions of Metamorphosing.
1644. C. Jessop, Angel of Ephesus, 50. How exorbitant from this rule the practices of our Prelates have been.
1674. Owen, Holy Spirit (1693), 45. Exorbitant from the Principles of Nature.
† b. Projecting, salient. Obs.
1714. Derham, Astro-Theol., V. v. (1769), 144. [Had the earth been square] they must have been … retarded … by the exorbitant angles.
2. Deviating from the normal, prescribed or customary track. † a. Of movements, conduct, etc.: Eccentric, erratic, irregular (obs.)
1613. Daniel, Coll. Hist. Eng. (1626), 67. Strong raines to hold him in, from all exorbitant courses.
1654. H. L’Estrange, Chas. I. (1655), 35. The Commons when they see such a Blazing-star in course so exorbitant, in the affairs of this Common-wealth, cannot but look upon it.
1673. Ladies Call., I. § 1. 10. The vanity of Wit … has no where a more free and exorbitant range than in censuring and deriding.
b. [After use of exorbitans in Roman Law.] Of cases, offences, etc.: Anomalous, not coming within the intended scope of a law. Of powers, privileges, enactments: Abnormal, not in accordance with general principle.
c. 1460. Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon. (1714), 47. What sume thay [the king’s charges] be not like to excede, but if ther fal a Case over much exorbitant.
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., III. xi. (1611), 114. Causes exorbitant, and such as their lawes had not prouided for.
1675. [cf. 4 a].
a. 1754. Fielding, Charge to Grand Jury, Wks. 1784, X. 161. The punishment … is fine or imprisonment; and if the case be exorbitant, by pillory and loss of ears.
1756. Nugent, Montesquieu’s Spir. Laws (1758), I. II. iii. 19. A magistrate invested with an exorbitant power.
1832. Austin, Jurispr. (1879), II. 909. Though the law and the right are ‘exorbitant’ or ‘eccentric.’ Ibid., II. 981. They are mere anomalies: exorbitant or irregular commands.
† c. Aberrant from the common type, monstrous, abnormal. Obs.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 358. The colour of Lions is generally yellow, for these before spoken of, black, white and red, are exorbitant.
1662. Gerbier, Princ., 23. Those passions become the originall causes of exorbitant Features and Forms.
† d. Of an insane person or his condition: Extravagant, frantic, wild. Obs.
1667. Phil. Trans., II. 620. We found him [a madman] somewhat less exorbitant, both in his actions and words.
1702. C. Mather, Magn. Chr., III. II. i. (1852), 358. The wretch continued in an exorbitant frame for a few days.
† 3. Forsaking, or apt to forsake, the right path; erring, faulty, transgressing, trespassing. Obs.
1556. Lauder, Tractate, 195. Raisand gret derth, exhorbitent Aganis ȝour actis of Parliament.
15[?]. Sir H. Sidney, in Ussher’s Lett. (1686), App. 25. That thou, entring into this exorbitant Age, mayest be … prepared to shun those courses.
1605. B. Jonson, Volpone, IV. vi. I haue … transgrest Against the dignitie of the court … And beene exorbitant.
a. 1638. Mede, Disc. Prov. iv. 23, Wks. I. 203. We must resist and crush every exorbitant thought which draws to sin.
1640. Bp. Hall, Chr. Moder., 8/2. The very patriarchs and princes of God’s peculiar people were palpably exorbitant in this kind.
1649. Milton, Eikon., Pref. The people exorbitant and excessive in all thir motions.
a. 1716. Blackall, Wks. (1723), I. 98. Over-rule their exorbitant Passions.
4. Exceeding ordinary or proper bounds. a. Going to excess in any action or quality. Of actions, appetites, desires, etc.: Excessive, immoderate. arch. Now with stronger sense: Grossly or flagrantly excessive.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. III. xi. Appetites both good … if they be moderate, both pernitious if they be exorbitant.
1622–62. Heylin, Cosmogr., III. (1673), 58/2. They had formerly been exorbitant in the worship of Idols.
1659. Sir G. Wharton, Disc. Astrol., Wks. (1683), 185. The exorbitant Practice of frequent Blood-letting.
1675. trans. Machiavelli’s Prince, xvi. (Rtldg., 1883), 104. Exorbitant mercy has an ill effect.
1719. J. Richardson, Science Connoisseur, 147. Some are Exorbitant in the Praises of what Themselves Possess.
1802. Paley, Nat. Theol., xxvi. (1826), 389. The exorbitant multiplication of some troublesome insects.
1853. Herschel, Pop. Lect. Sc., ii. § 21 (1873), 63. The excessive, exorbitant prodigality of diffusion of the sun’s light and heat.
1871. Browning, Balaust., 282. They wondered strangers were exorbitant In estimation of Euripides.
† b. Exceeding one’s rights, encroaching. Obs.
1631. Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 790. But by the exorbitant authoritie of the Pope, this election was disanulled, whereupon much mischiefe ensued.
a. 1635. Naunton, Fragm. Reg. (Arb.), 45. My Lord of Essex … was so exorbitant in the limitation of the Soveraign aspect.
c. Of a price, rate, stipulation, demand, claim, etc.: Grossly excessive.
1670. R. Coke, Disc. Trade, 24. The Exorbitant Impositions of the King of Denmark.
1722. De Foe, Moll Flanders (1840), 845. Nor were his conditions exorbitant.
1729. Franklin, Ess., Wks. 1840, II. 255. To restrain men from giving and receiving exorbitant interest.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., II. xlvi. 721. He exhausted their wealth by exorbitant tributes.
1836. W. Irving, Astoria, III. 159. The Indians … raised the price of horses to an exorbitant rate.
1860. Kingsley, Misc., II. 205. The landlord can obtain an exorbitant rent.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 385. The informers … are far from being exorbitant in their demands.
1879. M. Arnold, Irish Catholicism, Mixed Ess., 126. To advance confidently pretensions the most exorbitant.
d. Of power, wealth, etc.: Overgrown, enormous, excessive. arch.
1648. Nicholas Papers (Camden), I. 116. I hold Lord Jermins … power as vast and exorbitant.
c. 1771. J. Fletcher, Fourth Check to Antinomianism, i. (1786), 11. Your favourite doctrines of finished salvation, and calvinian imputation of righteousness to an impenitent adulterer, would lose their exorbitant influence.
1816. F. H. Naylor, Hist. Germany, I. I. ix. 362. Prescribing bounds to the exhorbitant power of Austria.
e. Of a material object, an outline, or surface: Disproportionately large, excessive in any dimension; in mod. use, outrageously or extravagantly large. Also fig. arch.
1662. Gerbier, Princ., 9. To perswade all Builders to forbear the Building any more those exorbitant Chimney-Shafts, which when they fall, break both Roofs and Sealings of Roomes, and kill good People in their Beds.
1667. E. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., I. III. x. (1743), 228. The Growth of Popery is very much owing to the exorbitant Extent and Compass of Parishes.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 381–2. The exorbitant and over-burnt Wick in a Candle.
1709. Sacheverell, Serm., 15 Aug., 17. And if the Righteous can scarcely be saved, where shall this Ungodly, this Over-grown, this Exorbitant Sinner, laden with Iniquity, Appear?
1711. Shaftesb., Charac., II. iv. (1737), II. 302–3. Its chief Bulk being compos’d of two exorbitant Muscles.
1843. Carlyle, Past & Pr. (1858), 169. With exorbitant breast-pin.
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola (1880), I. Intro. 5. The exorbitant line of the Pitti [palace] roof [at Florence] is hidden from San Miniato.
† B. sb. One who or something that exceeds proper limits. Obs. rare.
1627. W. Sclater, Exp. 2 Thess. (1629), 277. Howsoeuer exorbitants behaued themselues, they [Brethren] yet should continue in weldoing.
1654. H. L’Estrange, Chas. I. (1655), 25. His Majesty … demanded justice against those exorbitants.
a. 1714. M. Henry, Wks. (1853), I. 135/1. The most common and daring exorbitants of an ungoverned tongue.
