[ad. L. excursiōn-em, n. of action f. excurrĕre to run out: see EXCUR. Cf. F. excursion.]
† 1. The action of running out; escape from confinement; ‘progression beyond fixed limits’ (J.); running to extremes; an instance thereof.
1579. Twyne, Phisicke agst. Fortune, II. Ep. Ded. 153 b. What roaring of flooddes, what excursion of riuers.
1654. H. L’Estrange, Chas. I. (1655), 4. Nor is it any excursion beyond the precincts of verity to say, that [etc.].
1729. Shelvocke, Artillery, IV. 266. These round boards—prevent the Excursion of the least Atom of the Moving Power … till the Projectile is departed.
1732. Ray, Dissol. World, I. iii. (ed. 4), 44. Stop and inhibit their [the winds’] Excursions.
1733. Arbuthnot, Ess. Effects Air, iv. 87. Those great Excursions of the Seasons into the Extremes of Cold and Heat.
b. transf. The fact or state of ‘running out’ or projecting in any direction (rare). Hence formerly † concr.: Something that runs out or projects; an extension, projecting addition (of a building); an offshoot, branch, projection (of land, mountains, etc.).
1622–62. Heylin, Cosmogr., I. (1682), 33. Of this large Mountain most of the Hills … are but the excursions.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., VI. vi. § 18. Countrey Churches … wherein such excursions of building as present themselves beyond the old fabrick … were since erected.
a. 1682. Sir T. Browne, Tracts (1684), 191. An excursion of Land shooting out directly.
fig. a. 1626. Bacon, War Spain, in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), IV. 133. The ravishing whereof was a mere excursion of the first wrong, and a superinjustice.
† 2. fig. An outburst (of feeling); a sally (of wit); an overstepping of the bounds of propriety or custom, a freak; vagary, escapade. Obs.
1662. H. More, Philos. Writ., Pref. Gen. (1712), 22. Which was no inconsiderate excursion of a juvenile fervour in him, but a permanent faithfulness … of Spirit.
1680. Burnet, Rochester (1692), 124. I have not enlarged on all the Excursions of his Wit.
1701. Swift, Contests Nobles & Com., Wks. 1755, II. I. 21. Alcibiades, having been formerly noted for the like frolicks and excursions, was immediately accused of this.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 34, ¶ 4. I think your Raillery has made too great an Excursion, in attacking several Persons of the Inns of Court.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (ed. 3), I. 16. This indeed was, as I said, an Excursion of his Spirits which were yet agitated by the Sense of his Loss.
1785. Cowper, Tiroc., 228. His wild excursions, window-breaking feats … are made their favourite themes.
1793. Burke, Cond. Minority, Wks. 1842, I. 612. His friends saw no security … after this excursion of his, but in the re-union of the party.
† 3. Mil. An issuing forth against an enemy; a sally, sortie, raid. Obs.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., I. 43/2. Trenches that you have made for your oune defense, to keepe off their excursions.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turkes (1621), 1230. The Turks … were determined yet to make a great excursion for the spoiling of the countrey.
1665. Manley, Grotius’ Low-C. Warrs, 637. Placing Forts and Guards along the River, to keep in and repress any Excursions from Fort Andrew.
1701. Lond. Gaz., No. 3756/13. The Germans make Excursions beyond the Adda … to fetch in Forage.
4. A journey, expedition, or ramble from one’s home, or from any place with the intention of returning to it.
1699. Dampier, Voy., II. II. 42. Many little Excursions that I made … in these parts.
1743. Berkeley, Lett., 29 Oct. Wks. IV. 289. My health … suffers me to make no excursions farther than a mile or two.
a. 1788. N. Cotton, Fire-side, iv. Giving her vain excursions o’er, The disappointed bird [Noah’s dove] once more Explor’d the sacred bark.
1816. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 159. The longest aëronautic excursion ever taken was by Blanchard.
1823. J. D. Hunter, Mem. Captivity N. Amer., 124. I started … on a hunting and trading excursion.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. vii. 47. I made a long excursion up the glacier.
b. fig.
1665. Glanvill, Sceps. Sci., xiv. 81. The excursions of our roving phancies (which cannot be kept to a close attendance).
1704. Swift, T. Tub, Author’s Apol., It is the frequent error of those men … to make Excursions beyond their talent and their office.
1764. Reid, Inquiry, vii. 540. Many authors of ingenuity, ancient and modern, have made excursions into this vast territory.
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., I. ii. 21. The only excursion into the historical domain which I shall have to ask the reader to make.
c. transf. in Physics, etc.: One of the individual movements executed by any body or particle in oscillating or alternating motion; the distance traversed in such a movement.
1799. Young, in Phil. Trans., XC. 136. In the middle of the chord, the excursions on each side the axis are always equal.
1878. Huxley, Physiogr., 171. The particles themselves perform very small excursions, merely vibrating up and down.
1879. G. Prescott, Sp. Telephone, 16. The excursions of the plunger rod vary with the amplitude of the several vibrations made by the diaphragm to which it is attached.
5. spec. A journey or ‘trip’ undertaken for the sake of pleasure or health. In recent use often: A pleasure-trip taken by a number of persons; occas. short for excursion-party or excursion train.
1779. Cowper, Lett., July, Wks. (1875), 38/2. It was an excursion of pleasure to go to see Ramsgate.
1832. G. Downes, Lett. Cont. Countries, I. 297. We had yesterday a delightful excursion on the lake.
6. Deviation from a definite path or course.
a. in physical sense. Now only Astron.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 1307. The defect of the Moone and her occultation, be as it were the excursions, deviations out of course, and disparations.
1727. Swift, Desire & Possess., Wks. 1755, IV. I. 82. He strove to pick up all he found, And by Excursions lost his Ground.
1732. Ray, Dissol. World, III. v. (ed. 4), 374. The Excursions of these last [the Comets], do argue it more than possible, that … the Sun … may quite lose his Light.
1833. Sir J. Herschel, Astron., ix. 288. The excursions of the earth on either side of the ellipse, are so very small as to be hardly appreciable.
† b. A deviation from custom, rule or propriety. Cf. 2. Obs.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 299. Monsters Aristotle calleth Excursions and Digressions of Nature.
1627–77. Feltham, Resolves, I. xxi. 38. A Watch, to observe thy fails, and thy excursions.
a. 1656. Bp. Hall, Life, Rem. Wks. (1660), 11. Finding that … somewhat out of my way, not without a secret blame of my self for so much excursion, I fairly gave up that task.
a. 1711. Ken, Hymnotheo, Poet. Wks. 1721, III. 109. On ev’ry Sense he kept strict jealous Eyes, Ready the least Excursion to chastise.
1769. Sir J. Reynolds, Disc., ii. (1884), 18. A Student … is always apt … to mistake the most trifling excursions for discoveries of moment.
† c. A deviation from the direct course in argument or discourse; ‘ramble from a subject’ (J.); a digression. Obs.
1574. Whitgift, Def. Answ., ii. Wks. 1851, I. 208. It is an argument that you lack good matter, when you make such excursions from the purpose.
1670. Baxter, Cure Ch. Div., 259. Pardon this long excursion on this subject.
1684. Earl Roscom., Ess. Transl. Verse, 215. Excursions are inexpiably bad, And ’tis much safer to leave out, then add.
c. 1720. W. Gibson, Farriers Dispens., vii. (1734), 167. We shall take the liberty of a short Excursion, to put this matter yet into a better light.
1823. Lamb, Elia, Ser. I. xi. (1865), 89. You cannot make excursions with him … for he sets you right [in conversation].
7. attrib. (sense 5), as in excursion-train, a train intended to convey persons making a pleasure excursion, usually at reduced fares; also excursion-agent, -fare, -party, -ticket.
1850. Thackeray, in Scribn. Mag., I. 688/2. O! I should like to come on Sunday by the Excursion train, price 5/, and shake hands and come back again!
1866. R. M. Ballantyne, Shifting Winds, xxiv. It chanced to be an excursion day, and several … were besieging the ticket-windows.
1870. Dickens, E. Drood, ii. Tope, Chief Verger and Showman, was accustomed to be high with excursion parties.
1878. F. S. Williams, Midl. Railw., 626. The exceptional colours [tickets] are for excursion trains.
Hence Excursion v., intr. to make or go on an excursion. Excursional a., of or pertaining to an excursion. Excursionary a., of the nature of an excursion; of a person, going on an excursion. † Excursioner = EXCURSIONIST. Excursionism, the custom or practice of making or organizing excursions.
1792. Mad. D’Arblay, Diary, Jan. V. 283. You have been excursioning and travelling all the world o’er since I saw you last.
1825. Lamb, in Talfourd, Life & Lett., xv. 142. Yesterday I excursioned twenty miles.
1885. Daily News, 6 Oct., 5/7. The members of the Church Congress are not much given to excursioning.
1848. Dickens, Lett., 22 July. Pray let me divide the little excursional excesses of the journey among the gentlemen.
1769. Garrick’s Vagary, 53. I conclude … my excursionary Trip from London to Stratford.
1858. Mayne Reid, in Chamb. Jrnl., IX. 77. Was it … the excursionary belles from Saratoga … who came to visit us?
1786. Mad. D’Arblay, Diary, III. 111. The Royal excursioners did not return till between six and seven o’clock.
1886. Goldw. Smith, in Macm. Mag., Oct., 406. Excursionism, which began with the Exhibition of 1851, has now assumed immense proportions.
