excel

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: ex=cel
• COUNT in NET: 4 in 3 verses (in OT : 1 in 1 verses) (in NT : 3 in 2 verses)

CIDE DICTIONARY

excel, v. t. [L. excellere, excelsum; ex out + a root found in culmen height, top; cf. F. exceller. See Culminate, Column.].

•  To go beyond or surpass in good qualities or laudable deeds; to outdo or outgo, in a good sense.  [1913 Webster]

  "Excelling others, these were great;
  Thou, greater still, must these excel."  [1913 Webster]

  "I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness."  [1913 Webster]
•  To exceed or go beyond; to surpass.  [1913 Webster]

  "She opened; but to shut
  Excelled her power; the gates wide open stood."  [1913 Webster]

excel, v. i. 

 To surpass others in good qualities, laudable actions, or acquirements; to be distinguished by superiority; as, to excel in mathematics, or classics.  [1913 Webster]
"Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel."  [1913 Webster]
"Then peers grew proud in horsemanship t' excel."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

excel, v. (excelled, excelling) (often foll. by in, at)
1 tr. be superior to.
2 intr. be pre-eminent or the most outstanding (excels at games).

Idiom

excel oneself surpass one's previous performance.

Etymology

ME f. L excellere (as EX-(1), celsus lofty)

THESAURUS

excel

be born for, be master of, beat, best, better, cap, dominate, eclipse, exceed, go beyond, go one better, improve on, outdo, outpace, outrank, outshine, outstrip, outweigh, overbalance, overbear, overcome, overpass, overshadow, overtop, perfect, predominate, preponderate, prevail, shine, shine in, surpass, top, tower above, tower over, transcend, trump

ROGET THESAURUS

excel

Goodness

VB be beneficial, produce good, do good, profit, benefit, confer a benefit, be the making of, do a world of good, make a man of, produce a good effect, do a good turn, confer an obligation, improve, do no harm, break no bones, be good, excel, transcend, bear away the bell, stand the proof, stand the test, pass muster, pass an examination, challenge comparison, vie, emulate, rival.

Superiority

VB be superior, exceed, excel, transcend, outdo, outbalance, outweigh, outrank, outrival, out-Herod, pass, surpass, get ahead of, over-top, override, overpass, overbalance, overweigh, overmatch, top, o'ertop, cap, beat, cut out, beat hollow, outstrip, eclipse, throw into the shade, take the shine out of, outshine, put one's nose out of joint, have the upper hand, have the whip hand of, have the advantage, turn the scale, kick the beam, play first fiddle, preponderate, predominate, prevail, precede, take precedence, come first, come to a head, culminate, beat all others, bear the palm, break the record, take the cake, become larger, render larger.