Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
exercise (noun)1.
a) the act of bringing into play or realizing in action - use the exercise of self-control
b) the discharge of an official function or professional occupation - exercise of his judicial duties
c) the act or an instance of carrying out the terms of an agreement (as an option) - often used attributively an option's exercise price
2.
a) regular or repeated use of a faculty or bodily organ
b) bodily for the sake of developing and maintaining physical fitness - exertion trying to get more exercise
3.
something performed or practiced in order to develop, improve, or display a specific capability or skill - arithmetic exercises vocal exercises
4.
a performance or activity having a strongly marked secondary or ulterior aspect - party politics has always been an exercise in compromise H. S. Ashmore
5.
a) a maneuver, operation, or drill carried out for training and discipline - naval exercises
b) a program including speeches, announcements of awards and honors, and various traditional practices of secular or religious character - commencement exercises
transitive verb
1.
a) to make effective in action - use didn't exercise good judgment
b) to bring to bear - exert exercise influence
c) to implement the terms of (as an option)
2.
a) to use repeatedly in order to strengthen or develop - exercise a muscle
b) to train (as troops) by drills and maneuvers
c) to put through - exercises exercise the horses
3.
a) to engage the attention and effort of
intransitive verb
b) to cause anxiety, alarm, or indignation in - the issues exercising voters this year to take exercise
Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus
exercise (noun)1.
energetic movement of the body for the sake of physical fitness
SYNONIMS:
activity, conditioning, exertionRELATED WORDS:
training, warm-up, workout; toning, trimming; aerobics, athletics, bodybuilding, body mechanics, calisthenics, gymnastics, isometrics, plyometrics, slimnastics, weight lifting; physical therapy2.
something done over and over in order to develop skill
SYNONIMS:
drill, practice ( practise), routine, training, workoutRELATED WORDS:
assignment, homework, lesson; brushup, refresher, review3.
the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose
SYNONIMS:
application, employment, exercise, operation, play, usageRELATED WORDS:
exertion; reuseNEAR ANTONYMS:
disuse, nonuse1.
to bring to bear especially forcefully or effectively
SYNONIMS:
apply, exercise, ply, put out, wieldRELATED WORDS:
employ, use, utilize; abuse, misapply, misuse2.
to do over and over so as to become skilled
SYNONIMS:
exercise, rehearse, run overRELATED WORDS:
groove, perfect, refine; point (for), prepare (for), train (with); drill, repeat; work (at on); review, study3.
to put into action or service
SYNONIMS:
apply, employ, exercise, exploit, harness, operate, utilizeRELATED WORDS:
handle, manipulate, wield; direct, run, work; cannibalize, recycle, reuseNEAR ANTONYMS:
ignore, neglect; misapply, misuse4.
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
SYNONIMS:
agitate, ail, alarm ( alarum), bother, concern, derail, discomfort, discompose, dismay, disquiet, distemper, distract, distress, exercise, flurry, frazzle, freak (out), fuss, hagride, perturb, undo, unhinge, unsettle, upset, weird out, worryRELATED WORDS:
aggravate, anger, annoy, bug, chafe, chivy ( chivvy), exasperate, fret, gall, get, grate, harass, harry, irk, irritate, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put off, put out, rile, vex; bedevil, haunt, plague; abash, confound, confuse, discomfit, disconcert, discountenance, embarrass, faze, fluster, jar, mortify, nonplus, rattle, shake up; daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, unnerveNEAR ANTONYMS:
allay, alleviate, assuage; appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, propitiate