excursion
[ik-skur-zhuh n, -shuh n]
- a short trip or outing to some place, usually for a special purpose and with the intention of a prompt return: a pleasure excursion; a scientific excursion.
- a trip on a train, ship, etc., at a reduced rate: weekend excursions to mountain resorts.
- the group of persons making such a journey: an excursion of tourists.
- a deviation or digression: excursions into futile philosophizing.
- Physics. the displacement of a body or a point from a mean position or neutral value, as in an oscillation.
- an accidental increase in the power level of a reactor, usually forcing its emergency shutdown.
- Machinery.
- the range of stroke of any moving part.
- the stroke itself.
- Obsolete. a sally or raid.
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- to go on or take an excursion.
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- of, relating to, or intended for use on excursions: an excursion fare; an excursion bus.
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Origin of excursion
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for excursion
Contemporary Examples
I learned a lot about myself on that excursion, and from the trip as a whole.
Love, Nate 12 September 2006 Folks, Just returned from a several day excursion with some of the Recon boys from Lejeune.
"It would be an excursion into dark reality," he told the Los Angeles Times.
His tirade against Zionism was relatively brief; his excursion into 9/11 Trutherism, elliptical.
A basilisk, a sword, and a phoenix mean only one thing for Harry Potter: an excursion into the mysterious chamber.
Historical Examples
To his jealous eyes came a vision of that excursion to the hospital.
KMary Roberts Rinehart
Heaven rest his soul, and grant that he may not have completed The Excursion!
P.'s Correspondence (From "Mosses From An Old Manse")Nathaniel Hawthorne
We could not have a more favourable day for our excursion into this world of the dead.
It Happened in EgyptC. N. Williamson
Inquiring for her, he seemed sorry to hear that she had gone on the excursion.
It Happened in EgyptC. N. Williamson
It seemed to him monstrous that one should sadden one's life by such an excursion as this.
The Three Cities Trilogy, CompleteEmile Zola
excursion
- a short outward and return journey, esp for relaxation, sightseeing, etc; outing
- a group of people going on such a journey
- (modifier) of or relating to special reduced rates offered on certain journeys by railan excursion ticket
- a digression or deviation; diversionan excursion into politics
- (formerly) a raid or attack
- physics
- a movement from an equilibrium position, as in an oscillation
- the magnitude of this displacement
- the normal movement of a movable bodily organ or part from its resting position, such as the lateral movement of the lower jaw
- machinery the locus of a point on a moving part, esp the deflection of a whirling shaft
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Word Origin
C16: from Latin excursiō an attack, from excurrere to run out, from currere to run
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for excursion
n.
1570s, "a deviation in argument," also "a military sally," from Latin excursionem (nominative excursio) "a running forth, sally, excursion, expedition," noun of action from past participle stem of excurrere "run out, run forth, hasten," from ex- "out" (see ex-) + currere "to run" (see current (adj.)). Sense of "journey" recorded in English by 1660s.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper