Properly, to thrust out or eject; but used as synonymous with preclude.

To thrust out; to eject; as, to exclude young animals from the womb or from eggs.

To hinder from entering or admission; to shut out; as, one body excludes another from occupying the same space. The church ought to exclude immoral men from the communion.

To debar; to hinder from participation or enjoyment. European nations, in time of peace, exclude our merchants from the commerce of their colonies. In some of the states, no man who pays taxes is excluded from the privilege of voting for representatives.

To except; not to comprehend or include in a privilege, grant, proposition, argument, description, order, species, genusina general sense.