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exercise

Pronunciation: /ˈɛksəsʌɪz/

Translate exercise | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of exercise

noun

  • 1 [mass noun] activity requiring physical effort, carried out to sustain or improve health and fitness:exercise improves your heart and lung power [count noun]:loosening-up exercises
  • 2an activity carried out for a specific purpose:an exercise in public relations
  • [count noun] a task set to practise or test a skill:there are exercises at the end of each book to check comprehension
  • (often exercises) a military drill or training manoeuvre: training exercises with the Kuwaiti army
  • (exercises) North American ceremonies:Bar Mitzvah exercises
  • 3 [mass noun] the use or application of a faculty, right, or process:the exercise of authority

verb

[with object]
  • 1use or apply (a faculty, right, or process):control is exercised by the Board anyone receiving a suspect package should exercise extreme caution
  • 2 [no object] engage in physical activity to sustain or improve health and fitness:she still exercised every day
  • [with object] exert (part of the body) to promote or improve muscular strength:raise your knee to exercise the upper leg muscles
  • [with object] cause (an animal) to take exercise:she exercised her dogs before breakfast
  • 3occupy the thoughts of; worry or perplex:Macdougall was greatly exercised about the exchange rate

Derivatives

exercisable

adjective

exerciser

noun

Origin:

Middle English (in the sense 'application of a right'): via Old French from Latin exercitium, from exercere 'keep busy, practise', from ex- 'thoroughly' + arcere 'keep in or away'

Spelling help

Unlike most verbs ending in -ise, exercise cannot be spelled with an -ize ending.

Do not confuse exorcize with exercise. Exorcize means 'drive out an evil spirit' (a magic formula used to exorcise evil spirits), whereas exercise means 'carry out physical activity to get fitter' (she exercised every day) or 'use a right or power' (control is exercised by the Council).

exercise in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of exercise in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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