I.gen. plur. part. sync. exsuperantum, Varr. L. L. 7, § 18 Müll.), 1, v. n. and a. (mostly poet. and in post-Aug. prose).
I. Neutr., to mount up, appear above (very rare).
A. Lit.: exsuperant flammae; “furit aestus ad auras,” Verg. A. 2, 759.—
B. Trop., to get the upper hand, to overcome, prevail, excel: “sol et vapor omnis,” Lucr. 5, 385: “arma capessant, Et si non poterunt exsuperare, cadant,” Ov. F. 6, 372: “praesens dolor,” Lucr. 6, 1277: “quantum ipse feroci Virtute exsuperas,” Verg. A. 12, 20: “Hannibal exsuperans astu,” Sil. 1, 57.—
II. Act., to project or tower above any thing, to surmount, rise above, exceed.
A. Lit.: “vites exsuperant ulmos,” Plin. 14, 1, 3, § 12: “exsuperat jugum,” passes over, Verg. A. 11, 905: “clivum,” Sen. Ep. 31: “amnem,” Plin. 6, 17, 21, § 62: “Nilus exsuperavit sedecim cubita,” id. 18, 18, 47, § 168; cf.: “binas libras ponderis,” id. 9, 17, 30, § 64.—
B. Trop.
1. To surpass, exceed: quis homo te exsuperavit usquam gentium impudentiā? Poët. ap. Cic. Tusc. 4, 36, 77: “omnes Tarquinios superbiā,” Liv. 3, 11, 13: “genus morum nobilitate,” Ov. Tr. 4, 4, 2: “aliquid latitudine,” Plin. 2, 11, 8, § 50: “laudes alicujus,” Liv. 28, 43, 7: “cuncta exsuperans patrimonia census,” Juv. 10, 13: “tu vero, pater, vive et me quoque exsupera,” survive, outlive, Val. Max. 5, 9 fin.: “aestatem,” to outlast, Plin. 14, 2, 4, § 33.—
2. To be too much for, to overpower, overcome: id summum exsuperat Jovem, Poët. in Cic. Div. 2, 10, 25: “materia vires exsuperante meas,” Ov. Tr. 1, 5, 56: “caecum consilium,” Verg. A. 7, 591: “multitudo Gallorum, sensum omnem talis damni exsuperans,” Liv. 7, 24, 2.—Hence, exsŭpĕrans (exup- ), antis, P. a. (acc. to I. B.), surpassing, excellent, supreme (post-class.): “mulier exsuperanti forma,” Gell. 6, 8, 3.—Comp.: uter esset exsuperantior, certabatur, Gell. 14, 3, 11.—Sup., App. Dogm. Plat. 1, p. 8.
