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# excel

verb (excel, excels, excelled, excelling); proper noun (Excel — a computer program)

«excel» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To excel is to be extremely good at something, better than most others. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/excel/#m1)
2. To excel yourself is to do even better than you usually do. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/excel/#m2)
3. Excel (with a capital E) is the name of a spreadsheet program on computers. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/excel/#m3)

### In the lessons

In school reports and everyday praise: «excels at maths», «excels in sport». It tells the reader someone is outstanding. Excel spreadsheets are used to make tables, sums and charts. Phrases: excel at, excel in, excel yourself.

### Examples

- She excels at swimming and has won many races. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/excel/#x1)
- Tom excels in maths and science. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/excel/#x2)
- You really excelled yourself with this cake! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/excel/#x3)
- The school helps every pupil excel. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/excel/#x4)
- Our class made a bar chart in Excel. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/excel/#x5)
- He excelled in the spelling test, getting full marks. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/excel/#x6)
- Some people excel at music, others at sport. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/excel/#x7)
- The Goddess, to console him, said, “But you far excel in beauty and in size. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/excel/#x8)

### Note

Double the «l» in excelled and excelling. Stress: ex-CEL. Adjective: excellent; noun: excellence. «Excel at» or «excel in» — both are fine.

## In Jewish tradition

It means to be better than others, to rise above them. In Jeremiah it is used ironically about a king who wanted fine buildings.

**Interpretation.** Jeremiah says a king is not great because of his cedar palaces but because he does justice. Solomon's wisdom is praised as the greatest of his age.

### Examples

- Shalt thou reign, because thou strivest to excel in cedar? (Prophets JER.22.15, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/excel/#x1)
- And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt. (Prophets 1KI.5.10, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/excel/#x2)
- Again, I considered all labour and all excelling in work, that it is a man's rivalry with his neighbour. (Writings ECC.4.4, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/excel/#x3)

### Note

Double the «l» in excelled and excelling. Stress: ex-CEL. Adjective: excellent; noun: excellence. «Excel at» or «excel in» — both are fine.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «excel» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/excel/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«excel» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/excel.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «excel» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/excel/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«excel» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/excel.html) on Mova free.