4 ADJ If a company states that its prices, goods, or services are exclusive of something, that thing is not included in the stated price, although it usually still has to be paid for. □ [+ of ] Skiing weekends cost £58 (exclusive of travel and accommodation).
5 PHRASE If two things are mutually exclusive , they are separate and very different from each other, so that it is impossible for them to exist or happen together. □ They both have learnt that ambition and successful fatherhood can be mutually exclusive.
ex|clu|sive|ly / I kskluː s I vli/ ADV [ADV with v] Exclusively is used to refer to situations or activities that involve only the thing or things mentioned, and nothing else. □ …an exclusively male domain. □ Instruction in these subjects in undergraduate classes is almost exclusively by lecture.
ex|com|muni|cate /e kskəmjuː n I ke I t/ (excommunicates , excommunicating , excommunicated ) VERB If a Roman Catholic or member of the Orthodox Church is excommunicated , it is publicly and officially stated that the person is no longer allowed to be a member of the Church. This is a punishment for some very great wrong that they have done. □ [be V -ed] Eventually, he was excommunicated along with his mentor. □ [V n] In 1766 he excommunicated the village for its 'depraved diversion'. ● ex|com|mu|ni|ca|tion /e kskəmjuːn I ke I ʃ ə n/ (excommunications ) N‑VAR □ …the threat of excommunication.
ex|co|ri|ate / I kskɔː rie I t/ (excoriates , excoriating , excoriated ) VERB To excoriate a person or organization means to criticize them severely, usually in public. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] He proceeded to excoriate me in front of the nurses.
ex|cre|ment /e kskr I mənt/ N‑UNCOUNT Excrement is the solid waste that is passed out of a person or animal's body through their bowels. [FORMAL ] □ The cage smelled of excrement.
ex|cres|cence / I kskre s ə ns/ (excrescences ) N‑COUNT If you describe something such as a building, addition, or development as an excrescence , you strongly disapprove of it because you think it is unnecessary, bad, or ugly. [LITERARY , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …an architectural excrescence. □ [+ on ] The trade union block vote is an excrescence on democracy.
ex|cre|ta / I kskriː tə/ N‑UNCOUNT Excreta is the waste matter, such as urine or faeces, which is passed out of a person or animal's body. [TECHNICAL , FORMAL ]
ex|crete / I kskriː t/ (excretes , excreting , excreted ) VERB When a person or animal excretes waste matter from their body, they get rid of it in faeces, urine, or sweat. [TECHNICAL , FORMAL ] □ [V n] Your open pores excrete sweat and dirt. [Also V ] ● ex|cre|tion / I kskriː ʃ ə n/ (excretions ) N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the excretion of this drug from the body.
ex|cru|ci|at|ing / I kskruː ʃie I t I ŋ/
1 ADJ If you describe something as excruciating , you are emphasizing that it is extremely painful, either physically or emotionally. [EMPHASIS ] □ I was in excruciating pain and one leg wouldn't move. ● ex|cru|ci|at|ing|ly ADV [usu ADV adj, oft ADV after v] □ He found the transition to boarding school excruciatingly painful.
2 ADJ If you describe something as excruciating , you mean that it is very unpleasant to experience, for example because it is very boring or embarrassing. □ Meanwhile, the boredom is excruciating. □ There was a moment of excruciating silence. ● ex|cru|ci|at|ing|ly ADV [usu ADV adj, oft ADV with v] □ The dialogue is excruciatingly embarrassing.
ex|cur|sion / I kskɜː r ʃ ə n, [AM ] -ʒ ə n/ (excursions )
1 N‑COUNT You can refer to a short journey as an excursion , especially if it is made for pleasure or enjoyment. □ [+ to ] In Bermuda, Sam's father took him on an excursion to a coral barrier.
2 N‑COUNT An excursion is a trip or visit to an interesting place, especially one that is arranged or recommended by a holiday company or tourist organization. □ Another pleasant excursion is Malaga, 18 miles away.
3 N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] If you describe an activity as an excursion into something, you mean that it is an attempt to develop or understand something new that you have not experienced before. □ [+ into ] …Radio 3's latest excursion into ethnic music, dance and literature.
ex|cus|able / I kskjuː zəb ə l/ ADJ If you say that someone's wrong words or actions are excusable , you mean that they can be understood and forgiven. □ I then realised that he had made a simple but excusable historical mistake.
ex|cuse ◆◇◇ (excuses , excusing , excused ) The noun is pronounced / I kskjuː s/. The verb is pronounced / I kskjuː z/. 1 N‑COUNT [oft N to-inf] An excuse is a reason which you give in order to explain why something has been done or has not been done, or in order to avoid doing something. □ [+ for ] It is easy to find excuses for his indecisiveness. □ Once I had had a baby I had the perfect excuse to stay at home. □ If you stop making excuses and do it you'll wonder what took you so long. ● PHRASE If you say that there is no excuse for something, you are emphasizing that it should not happen, or expressing disapproval that it has happened. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ for ] There's no excuse for behaviour like that. □ [+ for ] Solitude was no excuse for sloppiness.
2 VERB To excuse someone or excuse their behaviour means to provide reasons for their actions, especially when other people disapprove of these actions. □ [V n + by ] He excused himself by saying he was 'forced to rob to maintain my wife and cat'. □ [V n] That doesn't excuse my mother's behaviour.