excursiveadj.
/ᵻkˈskəːsɪv/, /ɛkˈskəːsɪv/, U.S. /ɪkˈskərsɪv/, /ɛkˈskərsɪv/ 1.
a. Of the nature of an excursion; consisting of excursions or sallies (obsolete in literal sense).
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > aspects of travel > a journey > [adjective] > of the nature of excursion
excursive1673
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > copiousness > [adjective] > discursive or digressive
digressinga1535
exorbitant1534
discursive1598
solute1605
digressive?1611
excursive1673
rimble-ramble1690
land-loping1694
digressionary1741
parenthetic1782
uncentral1782
digressional1785
parenthetical1814
discursative1819
discursory1830
episodic1867
winding1887
1673 J. Ray Observ. Journey Low-countries 463 From Montpellier we made an excursive voyage into Provence.
1749 J. Mason Ess. Power & Harmony Prosaic Numbers 54 Excursive Flights..natural to those who have dealt much in Verse.
1799 S. Turner Hist. Anglo-Saxons I. iv. viii. 321 They made excursive ravages over the adjacent country.
1816 W. Kirby & W. Spence Introd. Entomol. (1828) II. xxiii. 352 Then resumes its gay excursive flights.
1836 W. Irving Astoria II. 60 We are wandering..into excursive speculations.
b. Of reading, etc.: Desultory; varied in direction.
ΚΠ
a1843 in R. Southey Common-place Bk. (1849) 179/1 Johnson's excursive reading.
2. (a) That makes excursions or sallies in various directions; capable of, or addicted to, varied flights; having a wide range of pursuits or interests. (b) Apt to diverge from a definite course; prone to stray, erratic; digressive.
ΚΠ
1744 J. Thomson Spring in Seasons (new ed.) 41 Your Eye excursive roams.
1781 T. Warton Hist. Eng. Poetry IV. xlv. sig. D4 The first [satire of the fourth book of Hall's Satires] is miscellaneous and excursive.
1781 S. Johnson Pope in Pref. Wks. Eng. Poets VII. 255 An intelligence perpetually on the wing, excursive, vigorous, and diligent.
1816 W. Kirby & W. Spence Introd. Entomol. (1828) III. xxxv. 644 The order to which the excursive butterfly belongs is the Lepidoptera.
1823 J. Rutter Delineations of Fonthill 81 That brilliant and excursive genius which created the design.
1825 W. Scott Betrothed Introd., in Tales Crusaders I. p. xvi Keeping in the straight road his excursive black cattle.
1839 H. Hallam Introd. Lit. Europe III. iii. 286 Bacon was sometimes too excursive to sift particulars.
1868 A. Helps Realmah II. ix. 20 Do keep to the point, my excursive friends.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1894; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1673