The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Excel \Ex*cel"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Excelled; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Excelling.] [L. excellere, excelsum; ex out + a root found
   in culmen height, top; cf. F. exceller. See Culminate,
   Column.]
   1. To go beyond or surpass in good qualities or laudable
      deeds; to outdo or outgo, in a good sense.
      [1913 Webster]

            Excelling others, these were great;
            Thou, greater still, must these excel. --Prior.
      [1913 Webster]

            I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light
            excelleth darkness.                   --Eccl. ii.
                                                  13.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To exceed or go beyond; to surpass.
      [1913 Webster]

            She opened; but to shut
            Excelled her power; the gates wide open stood.
                                                  --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Excel \Ex*cel"\, v. i.
   To surpass others in good qualities, laudable actions, or
   acquirements; to be distinguished by superiority; as, to
   excel in mathematics, or classics.
   [1913 Webster]

         Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel. --Gen. xlix.
                                                  4.
   [1913 Webster]

         Then peers grew proud in horsemanship t' excel. --Pope.
   [1913 Webster]

U.S. Gazetteer (1990):

Excel, AL (town, FIPS 24880)
  Location: 31.42617 N, 87.34242 W
  Population (1990): 571 (220 housing units)
  Area: 4.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

36 Moby Thesaurus words for "excel":
   be born for, be master of, beat, best, better, cap, dominate,
   eclipse, exceed, go beyond, go one better, improve on, outdo,
   outpace, outrank, outshine, outstrip, outweigh, overbalance,
   overbear, overcome, overpass, overshadow, overtop, perfect,
   predominate, preponderate, prevail, shine, shine in, surpass, top,
   tower above, tower over, transcend, trump