exception

American  

[ik-sep-shuhn] / ɪkˈsɛp ʃən /

noun

1. the act of excepting or the fact of being excepted.

2. something excepted; an instance or case not conforming to the general rule.

3. an adverse criticism, especially on a particular point; opposition of opinion; objection; demurral.

   a statement liable to exception.

4. Law.

   1. an objection, as to a ruling of the court in the course of a trial.

   2. a notation that an objection is preserved for purposes of appeal.

      saving an exception.

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idioms

1. take exception,

   1. to make an objection; demur.

      They took exception to several points in the contract.

   2. to take offense.

      She took exception to what I said about her brother.

exception British  

/ ɪkˈsɛpʃən /

noun

1. the act of excepting or fact of being excepted; omission

2. anything excluded from or not in conformance with a general rule, principle, class, etc

3. criticism, esp when it is adverse; objection

4. law (formerly) a formal objection in the course of legal proceedings

5. law a clause or term in a document that restricts the usual legal effect of the document

6. 1. (usually foll by to) to make objections (to); demur (at)

   2. (often foll by at) to be offended (by); be resentful (at)

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exception More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing exception

• except for (with the exception of)
• make an exception
• take exception to

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Other Word Forms

• exceptionless adjective
• preexception noun

Etymology

Origin of exception

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English excepcioun, from Latin exceptiōn-, stem of exceptiō; equivalent to except ¹ + -ion

Example Sentences

That would align the jurisdictions of the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, without carving out exceptions that invite regulatory arbitrage.

From Barron's

Invariably, any book that targets a single aspect of Lincoln’s complex nature will minimize the elements that rounded off his character—and Mr. Pinsker’s is no exception.

From The Wall Street Journal

Retiree Werner Strub agreed that "the conditions are so unusual that you can make an exception, because hospitals are full of people with fractures."

From Barron's

His full or partial exceptions have since included bananas, coffee, cocoa, jet engines and rare-earth minerals.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Hawaii politicians have, with a few exceptions, tended to be kind of low-drama dealmakers, not the sort who attract national attention,” Moore said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• anomaly
• exemption
• oddity
• privilege