exercise

noun

1. (countable)Any activity designed to develop or hone a skill or ability.

   “The teacher told us that the next exercise is to write an essay.”

   “Where noyse of armes, or vew of martiall guize / Might not reuiue desire of knightly exercize.”

   “an exercise of the eyes and memory”

2. (countable, uncountable)Activity intended to improve physical, or sometimes mental, strength and fitness.

   “I like to do my exercises every morning before breakfast. I do calisthenics for physical exercise, and I do crosswords for mental exercise.”

   “Regular mental exercise keeps the circuits of the brain active and healthy and reduces the risk of dementia.”

3. (countable, uncountable)Activity intended to improve physical, or sometimes mental, strength and fitness.

   “Swimming is good exercise.”

   “She does stomach exercises every day.”

   “This new-comer was a man who in any company would have seemed striking.[…]He was smooth-faced, and his fresh skin and well-developed figure bespoke the man in good physical condition through active exercise, yet well content with the world's apportionment.”

4. (countable, uncountable)Activity intended to improve physical, or sometimes mental, strength and fitness.

   “Such exercises as puzzles and chess can help keep the mind sharp as we age.”

5. (countable, uncountable)A setting in action or practicing; employment in the proper mode of activity; exertion; application; use.

   “The law guarantees us the free exercise of our rights.”

   “We urge the exercise of patience and restraint.”

   “December 8, 1801, Thomas Jefferson, first annual message exercise of the important function confided by the constitution to the legislature”

   “O we will walk this world, / Yoked in all exercise of noble end.”

6. (countable, uncountable)The performance of an office, ceremony, or duty.

   “I assisted the ailing vicar in the exercise of his parish duties.”

   “Lewis[…] refused even those of the church of England[…]the public exercise of their religion.”

   “He doth entreat your Grace, my noble lord, To visit him tomorrow or next day. To draw him from his holy exercise.”

7. (countable, obsolete, uncountable)That which gives practice; a trial; a test.

   “But patience is more oft the exerciſe / Of Saints, the trial of thir fortitude,”

verb

1. To exert for the sake of training or improvement; to practice in order to develop.

   “to exercise troops or horses;  to exercise one's brain with a puzzle”

2. (intransitive)To perform physical activity for health or training.

   “I exercise at the gym every day.”

3. (transitive)To use (a right, an option, etc.); to put into practice.

   “exercise caution”

   “The tenant exercised his option to renew the tenancy.”

   “She is going to exercise her right to vote.”

   “The people of the land haue vsed oppression, and exercised robbery, and haue vexed the poore and needie: yea, they haue oppressed the stranger wrongfully.”

   “The pre-grouping railway managements were very chary about allowing other people's trains on their territory, and there were many instances where running powers granted by Act of Parliament were never actually excercised because of difficulties deliberately put in the way.”

4. 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.

   “exercised with pain”

   “It is not a question that has exercised me greatly in the past.”

   “Where pain of unextinguiſhable fire / Muſt exerciſe us without hope of end”

5. (obsolete)To set in action; to cause to act, move, or make exertion; to give employment to.

   “And herein doe I exercise my selfe to haue alwayes a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.”

   “Little disappointed, then, she turned attention to "Chat of the Social World," gossip which exercised potent fascination upon the girl's intelligence.”