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Definition of excel verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

excel

verb
 
/ɪkˈsel/
 
/ɪkˈsel/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they excel
 
/ɪkˈsel/
 
/ɪkˈsel/
he / she / it excels
 
/ɪkˈselz/
 
/ɪkˈselz/
past simple excelled
 
/ɪkˈseld/
 
/ɪkˈseld/
past participle excelled
 
/ɪkˈseld/
 
/ɪkˈseld/
-ing form excelling
 
/ɪkˈselɪŋ/
 
/ɪkˈselɪŋ/
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  1. [intransitive] to be very good at doing something
    • excel (in/at something) She has always excelled in foreign languages.
    • As a child he excelled at music and art.
    • excel (at doing something) The team excels at turning defence into attack.
    Topics Personal qualitiesb2
  2. [transitive] excel yourself (British English) to do extremely well and even better than you usually do
    • Rick's cooking was always good, but this time he really excelled himself.
  3. Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin excellere, from ex- ‘out, beyond’ + celsus ‘lofty’.
See excel in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee excel in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
sunflower
noun
 
 
From the Topic
Plants and trees
B2
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