exercise

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /ˈek.sə.saɪz/
• SAMPA: /"Ek.s@.saIz/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ex‧er‧cise

Noun

Singular exercise

Plural exercises

1. (countable & uncountable) Exercise is a physical activity to make your body stronger.

   Losing some weight and doing more exercise will improve your looks.

   The doctor gave me some exercises to strengthen my back.

   Roll over and repeat the whole exercise with the other leg.

2. (countable & uncountable) Exercise is an activity that helps develop a skill.

   The next exercise is on page 57 in the textbook.

   My piano teacher gave me a number of new exercises for the left hand.

3. (countable) An exercise is an activity for a specific purpose.

   Her speech the next day was an exercise in damage control.

Synonyms

• activity
• practice
• work out

Verb

Plain form exercise

Third-person singular exercises

Past tense exercised

Past participle exercised

Present participle exercising

1. (transitive) If you exercise your power, your rights, etc. you use them.

   It's no longer true that men exercise all the power, and women just follow.

   The police are to continue to exercise control over the crowd.

2. (intransitive) If you exercise, you do physical activity to make your body stronger.

   We exercised in the gym.

   I've been exercising my back regularly and it doesn't hurt anymore.

   She exercised the horses in the yard all morning.

Synonyms

• use
• employ
• practice
• work out