From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Exercise \Ex"er*cise\, n. [F. exercice, L. exercitium, from
exercere, exercitum, to drive on, keep, busy, prob. orig., to
thrust or drive out of the inclosure; ex out + arcere to shut
up, inclose. See Ark.]
1. The act of exercising; a setting in action or practicing;
employment in the proper mode of activity; exertion;
application; use; habitual activity; occupation, in
general; practice.
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exercise of the important function confided by the
constitution to the legislature. --Jefferson.
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O we will walk this world,
Yoked in all exercise of noble end. --Tennyson.
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2. Exertion for the sake of training or improvement whether
physical, intellectual, or moral; practice to acquire
skill, knowledge, virtue, perfectness, grace, etc. "Desire
of knightly exercise." --Spenser.
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An exercise of the eyes and memory. --Locke.
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3. Bodily exertion for the sake of keeping the organs and
functions in a healthy state; hygienic activity; as, to
take exercise on horseback; to exercise on a treadmill or
in a gym.
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The wise for cure on exercise depend. --Dryden.
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4. The performance of an office, a ceremony, or a religious
duty.
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Lewis refused even those of the church of England .
. . the public exercise of their religion.
--Addison.
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To draw him from his holy exercise. --Shak.
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5. That which is done for the sake of exercising, practicing,
training, or promoting skill, health, mental, improvement,
moral discipline, etc.; that which is assigned or
prescribed for such ends; hence, a disquisition; a lesson;
a task; as, military or naval exercises; musical
exercises; an exercise in composition; arithmetic
exercises.
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The clumsy exercises of the European tourney.
--Prescott.
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He seems to have taken a degree, and performed
public exercises in Cambridge, in 1565. --Brydges.
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6. That which gives practice; a trial; a test.
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Patience is more oft the exercise
Of saints, the trial of their fortitude. --Milton.
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Exercise bone (Med.), a deposit of bony matter in the soft
tissues, produced by pressure or exertion.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Exercise \Ex"er*cise\, v. i.
To exercise one's self, as under military training; to drill;
to take exercise; to use action or exertion; to practice
gymnastics; as, to exercise for health or amusement.
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I wear my trusty sword,
When I do exercise. --Cowper.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Exercise \Ex"er*cise\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Exercised; p. pr. &
vb. n. Exercising.]
1. To set in action; to cause to act, move, or make exertion;
to give employment to; to put in action habitually or
constantly; to school or train; to exert repeatedly; to
busy.
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Herein do I Exercise myself, to have always a
conscience void of offence. --Acts xxiv.
16.
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2. To exert for the sake of training or improvement; to
practice in order to develop; hence, also, to improve by
practice; to discipline, and to use or to for the purpose
of training; as, to exercise arms; to exercise one's self
in music; to exercise troops.
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About him exercised heroic games
The unarmed youth. --Milton.
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3. To occupy the attention and effort of; to task; to tax,
especially in a painful or vexatious manner; harass; to
vex; to worry or make anxious; to affect; to discipline;
as, exercised with pain.
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Where pain of unextinguishable fire
Must exercise us without hope of end. --Milton.
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4. To put in practice; to carry out in action; to perform the
duties of; to use; to employ; to practice; as, to exercise
authority; to exercise an office.
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I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness,
judgment, and righteousness in the earth. --Jer. ix.
24.
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The people of the land have used oppression and
exercised robbery. --Ezek. xxii.
29.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
exercise
n 1: the activity of exerting your muscles in various ways to
keep fit; "the doctor recommended regular exercise"; "he
did some exercising"; "the physical exertion required by
his work kept him fit" [syn: exercise, exercising,
physical exercise, physical exertion, workout]
2: the act of using; "he warned against the use of narcotic
drugs"; "skilled in the utilization of computers" [syn:
use, usage, utilization, utilisation, employment,
exercise]
3: systematic training by multiple repetitions; "practice makes
perfect" [syn: exercise, practice, drill, {practice
session}, recitation]
4: a task performed or problem solved in order to develop skill
or understanding; "you must work the examples at the end of
each chapter in the textbook" [syn: exercise, example]
5: (usually plural) a ceremony that involves processions and
speeches; "academic exercises"
v 1: put to use; "exert one's power or influence" [syn: exert,
exercise]
2: carry out or practice; as of jobs and professions; "practice
law" [syn: practice, practise, exercise, do]
3: give a workout to; "Some parents exercise their infants"; "My
personal trainer works me hard"; "work one's muscles"; "this
puzzle will exercise your mind" [syn: exercise, work,
work out]
4: do physical exercise; "She works out in the gym every day"
[syn: exercise, work out]
5: learn by repetition; "We drilled French verbs every day";
"Pianists practice scales" [syn: drill, exercise,
practice, practise]