exercise
Americannoun
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bodily or mental exertion, especially for the sake of training or improvement of health.
Walking is good exercise.
- Synonyms:
- gymnastics, calisthenics, activity
- Antonyms:
- inaction
-
something done or performed as a means of practice or training.
exercises for the piano.
-
a putting into action, use, operation, or effect.
the exercise of caution.
- Synonyms:
- performance, practice, application, employment
-
a written composition, musical piece, or artistic work executed for practice or to illustrate a particular aspect of technique.
-
Often exercises. a traditional ceremony.
graduation exercises.
-
a religious observance or service.
- Synonyms:
- ritual
verb (used with object)
-
to put through exercises, or forms of practice or exertion, designed to train, develop, condition, or the like.
to exercise a horse.
- Synonyms:
- school, drill, discipline
-
to put (faculties, rights, etc.) into action, practice, or use.
to exercise freedom of speech.
-
to use or display in one's action or procedure.
to exercise judgment.
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to make use of (one's privileges, powers, etc.).
to exercise one's constitutional rights.
-
to discharge (a function); perform.
to exercise the duties of one's office.
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to have as an effect.
to exercise an influence on someone.
-
to worry; make uneasy; annoy.
to be much exercised about one's health.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to put into use; employ
to exercise tact
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(intr) to take exercise or perform exercises; exert one's muscles, etc, esp in order to keep fit
-
to practise using in order to develop or train
to exercise one's voice
-
to perform or make proper use of
to exercise one's rights
-
to bring to bear; exert
to exercise one's influence
-
(often passive) to occupy the attentions of, esp so as to worry or vex
to be exercised about a decision
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military to carry out or cause to carry out, manoeuvres, simulated combat operations, etc
noun
-
physical exertion, esp for the purpose of development, training, or keeping fit
-
mental or other activity or practice, esp in order to develop a skill
-
a set of movements, questions, tasks, etc, designed to train, improve, or test one's ability in a particular field
piano exercises
-
a performance or work of art done as practice or to demonstrate a technique
-
the performance of a function; discharge
the exercise of one's rights
the object of the exercise is to win
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(sometimes plural) military a manoeuvre or simulated combat operation carried out for training and evaluation
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(usually plural) a ceremony or formal routine, esp at a school or college
opening exercises
graduation exercises
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gymnastics a particular type of event, such as performing on the horizontal bar
Usage
What does exercise mean? Exercise is energetic physical or mental effort, usually for health or betterment, such as running or doing crossword puzzles.An exercise is an action that you do repeatedly to strengthen yourself or to get better at it. Push-ups are exercises you do to strengthen your body. Grammar exercises are often sentences you correct the grammar of to improve your understanding of grammar.To exercise means to practice the action, as in My doctor wants me to exercise more so that I will be healthier.Example: It has been difficult to fit in time for exercise lately.
Related Words
Exercise, drill, practice refer to activities undertaken for training in some skill. Exercise is the most general term and may be either physical or mental: an exercise in arithmetic. Drill is disciplined repetition of set exercises, often performed in a group, directed by a leader: military drill. Practice is repeated or methodical exercise: Even great musicians require constant practice.
Other Word Forms
- exercisable adjective
- nonexercisable adjective
- nonexercise noun
- overexercise verb
- postexercise adjective
- reexercise verb
- underexercise verb (used without object)
- unexercisable adjective
- unexercised adjective
- well-exercised adjective
Etymology
Origin of exercise
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English (noun), from Middle French exercice, from Latin exercitium, from exercit(us) “trained” (past participle of exercēre “to train,” from ex- ex- 1 + -ercēre, combining form of arcēre “to restrain”) + -ium, noun suffix
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ye noted in his letter that he now adheres to “an effective regime of medication, therapy, exercise, and clean living.”
On Tuesday, the French navy flagship, the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, set course for the Atlantic for pre-planned military exercises.
From Barron's
Doctors say it isn’t surprising that weight gain is faster for those who stop taking medications as opposed to those who lost it through diet and exercise.
Chelsea have urged fans travelling to Naples for Wednesday's Champions League game to "exercise extreme caution" after two supporters needed hospital treatment.
From BBC
Georg Schild, a history professor at Tübingen University, near Stuttgart, remembers watching annual exercises by the U.S. military every fall when he was growing up in West Germany in the 1960s.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
