exception

[ik-sep-shuhn]

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.

exception

/ 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)

Other Word Forms

• exceptionless adjective
• preexception noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of exception¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

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.

More idioms and phrases containing exception

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

Example Sentences

“With very few exceptions, books and the films that they spawn are very different,” he explains.

From Los Angeles Times

Garrett Watson, the director of policy analysis at the Tax Foundation, said in an interview with Salon that, with a few exceptions, “a lot of it is extending, effectively, the status quo.”

From Salon

There are limited exceptions to this which allow a state to seize a ship, such as a "hot pursuit" where a vessel is chased from a country's waters into the high seas.

From BBC

Sport was the exception to the rule that all things American were the world’s cultural lingua franca.

From Los Angeles Times

The owner typically doesn’t take bookings so far out but was willing to make an exception — as long as the guest was willing to pay more.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• anomaly 
• exemption 
• oddity 
• privilege