Dictionary Home »
Webster's New World College Dictionary » exception
exception
exception definition
ex·cep·tion (ek sep′s̸hən, ik-)
noun
- an excepting or being excepted; omission; exclusion
- anything that is excepted; specif.,
- a case to which a rule, general principle, etc. does not apply
- a person or thing different from or treated differently from others of the same class
- objection or opposition
- Law a formal objection or reservation to court action or opinion in the course of a trial
Etymology: ME excepcioun < OFr exception < L exceptio
exception Idioms
take exception
- to object; demur
- to resent something; feel offended
the exception proves the rule
the exception tests the rule: often used to mean “the exception establishes the rule”
Browse dictionary definitions near exception
Also Mentioned In