- 1[intransitive, transitive] to do sports or other physical activities in order to stay healthy or become stronger; to make an animal do this I exercise every morning before work. How often do you exercise? exercise something Horses need to be exercised regularly.
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- 2[transitive] exercise something to give a part of the body the movement and activity it needs to keep strong and healthy These movements will exercise your arms and shoulders.
- 3[transitive] exercise something (formal) to use your power, rights, or personal qualities in order to achieve something When she appeared in court, she exercised her right to remain silent. He was a man who exercised considerable influence over people. be anxious
- 4[usually passive] exercise somebody/something (about something) (formal) if someone is exercised about something, they are very anxious about it The public are less exercised about this matter than the media. This very problem has exercised the minds of some of our most eminent scientists.
exercise
verbNAmE//ˈɛksərˌsaɪz//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they exercise he / she / it exercises
past simple exercised
-ing form exercising
Check pronunciation: exercise