to be greater than a particular number, amount, or level
The cost of the new bridge did not exceed the budget set by the city council.
Today's sales exceeded our prediction by 20 percent.
✦ Middle English from Old French exceder, from Latin excedere ‘go beyond’.
to go beyond what is allowed or expected
If you exceed your authority, the board can overrule your decision.
The company faced fines because it exceeded legal pollution limits.
✦ Same origin as Sense 1.
to do something better than you have ever done before
In the final game, the young striker exceeded himself and scored three brilliant goals.
She exceeded herself with a cake that looked too beautiful to eat.
✦ Extension of the core verb “exceed” with reflexive pronoun since the 16th century.
