EX'ERCISE, n. s as z. [L. exercitium, from exerceo; Eng. work.]

In a general sense, any kind of work, labor or exertion of body. Hence,

1. Use; practice; the exertions and movements customary in the performance of business; as, the exercise of an art, trade, occupation, or profession.
2. Practice; performance; as, the exercise of religion.
3. Use; employment; exertion; as, the exercise of the eyes, or of the senses, or of any power of body or mind.
4. Exertion of the body, as conducive to health; action; motion, by labor, walking, riding, or other exertion. The wise for cure on exercise depend. Dryden.
5. Exertion of the body for amusement, or for instruction; the habitual use of the limbs for acquiring an art, dexterity, or grace, as in fencing, dancing, riding; or the exertion of the muscles for invigorating the body.
6. Exertion of the body and mind, or faculties for improvement, as in oratory, in painting or statuary.
7. Use or practice to acquire skill; preparatory practice. Military exercises consist in using arms, in motions, marches, and evolutions. Naval exercise consists in the use or management of artillery, and in the evolutions of fleets.
8. Exertion of the mind; application of the mental powers.
9. Task; that which is appointed for one to perform. Milton.
10. Act of divine worship. Shak.
11. A lesson or example for practice.

To use action or exertion; as, to exercise for health or amusement. [Elliptical.]

1. In a general sense, to move; to exert; to cause to act, in any manner; as, to exercise the body or the hands; to exercise the mind, the powers of the mind, the reason or judgment.
2. To use; to exert; as, to exercise authority or power.
3. To use for improvement in skill; as, to exercise arms.
4. To exert one's powers or strength; to practice habitually; as to exercise one's self in speaking or music.
5. To practice; to perform the duties of; as, to exercise an office.
6. To train to use; to discipline; to cause to perform certain acts, as preparatory to service; as, to exercise troops.
7. To task; to keep employed; to use efforts. Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God and men. Acts xxiv.
8. To use; to employ.
9. To busy; to keep busy in action, exertion, or employment.
10. To pain or afflict; to give anxiety to; to make uneasy.

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.
   
   

   exercise of the important function confided by the constitution to the legislature. Jefferson.

   O we will walk this world,
   Yoked in all exercise of noble end. Tennyson.

2. 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.
   
   

   Herein do I Exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence. Acts xxiv. 16.

3. 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.
   
   

   I wear my trusty sword,
   When I do exercise. Cowper.

4. 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.

   An exercise of the eyes and memory. Locke.

5. 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.
   
   

   About him exercised heroic games
   The unarmed youth. Milton.

6. Bodily exertion for the sake of keeping the organs and functions in a healthy state; hygienic activity; as, to take exercise on horseback.
   
   

   The wise for cure on exercise depend. Dryden.

7. 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.
   
   

   Where pain of unextinguishable fire
   Must exercise us without hope of end. Milton.

8. The performance of an office, a ceremony, or a religious duty.
   
   

   Lewis refused even those of the church of England . . . the public exercise of their religion. Addison.

   To draw him from his holy exercise. Shak.

9. 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.
   
   

   I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. Jer. ix. 24.

   The people of the land have used oppression and exercised robbery. Ezek. xxii. 29.

10. 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.
    
    

    The clumsy exercises of the European tourney. Prescott.

    He seems to have taken a degree, and performed public exercises in Cambridge, in 1565. Brydges.

11. That which gives practice; a trial; a test.
    
    

    Patience is more oft the exercise
    Of saints, the trial of their fortitude. Milton.

    Exercise bone (Med.), a deposit of bony matter in the soft tissues, produced by pressure or exertion.