Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of, given to, characterized by, or having the nature of digression.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Given to making excursions; rambling; wandering. Johnson.
  • Veering from point to point; wandering off from a subject; deviating; desultory; erratic: as, an excursive fancy or imagination.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Prone to make excursions; wandering; roving; exploring.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Tending to digress.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective (of e.g. speech and writing) tending to depart from the main point or cover a wide range of subjects

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Fairford that the next day was the honourable Sabbath, he became extremely excursive in an attempt to exhort him to keep it holy.

    Redgauntlet 2008

  • Willises invariably restricted the somewhat excursive tastes of female servants in general.

    Sketches by Boz 2007

  • Then into the quiet room came Susan Nipper and the candles; shortly afterwards, the tea, the Captain, and the excursive Mr Toots, who, as above mentioned, was frequently on the move afterwards, and passed but a restless evening.

    Dombey and Son 2007

  • So is Jamie Lynn Sigler, the "Soprano" star suffered from anorexia and excursive bulimia for years.

    CNN Transcript Jun 22, 2006 2006

  • In each the larger animal keeps a contemptuous good humour; in each the smaller annoys him with wasp-like impudence, certain of practical immunity; in each we shall find a double life producing double characters, and an excursive and noisy heroism combined with a fair amount of practical timidity.

    Memories and Portraits 2005

  • There he shows himself the same kind, artless, good-humored, excursive, sensible, whimsical, intelligent being that he appears in his writings.

    The Life of Oliver Goldsmith 2004

  • I have seen the Lago di Garda, Albano, De Vico, Bolsena, and Geneva, and, upon my honour, I prefer Lough – Lomond to them all, a preference which is certainly owing to the verdant islands that seem to float upon its surface, affording the most inchanting objects of repose to the excursive view.

    The Expedition of Humphry Clinker 2004

  • But neither philosophical curiosity, nor commercial industry, have yet fixed their abode here, where the importunity of immediate want supplied but for the day, and craving on the morrow, has left little room for excursive knowledge or the pleasing fancies of distant profit.

    A Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland 2003

  • Her acquaintance among them was more widely extended, her visits to their humble dwellings were more frequent and excursive than they had ever been before.

    Agnes Grey 2002

  • It is not business, extensive plans, or any of the excursive flights of ambition, that engross their attention; no, their thoughts are not employed in rearing such noble structures.

    A Vindication of the Rights of Woman 2002

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