exercise

exercise

ex·er·cise [exercise exercises exercised exercising] noun, verb   [ˈeksəsaɪz]    [ˈeksərsaɪz] 

noun
ACTIVITY/MOVEMENTS
1. uncountable physical or mental activity that you do to stay healthy or become stronger
• Swimming is good exercise.
• I don't get much exercise sitting in the office all day.
• The mind needs exercise as well as the body.
• vigorous/gentle exercise

• (BrE) to take exercise

2. countable a set of movements or activities that you do to stay healthy or develop a skill
• breathing/relaxation/stretching exercises
• exercises for the piano

• Repeat the exercise ten times on each leg.  

QUESTIONS

3. countable a set of questions in a book that tests your knowledge or practises a skill
• grammar exercises

• Do exercise one for homework.  

USE OF POWER/RIGHT/QUALITY

4. uncountable ~ of sth the use of power, a skill, a quality or a right to make sth happen
• the exercise of power by the government

• the exercise of discretion  

FOR PARTICULAR RESULT

5. countable an activity that is designed to achieve a particular result
• a communications exercise
• In the end it proved a pointless exercise.
• ~ in sth an exercise in public relations

• Staying calm was an exercise in self-control.  

FOR SOLDIERS

6. countable, usually plural a set of activities for training soldiers

• military exercises  

CEREMONIES

7. exercises plural (NAmE) ceremonies
• college graduation exercises  
Word Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘application of a right’): via Old French from Latin exercitium, from exercere ‘keep busy, practise’, from ex- ‘thoroughly’ + arcere ‘keep in or away’.  
Culture:
sport and fitness
The British are very fond of sport, but many people prefer to watch rather than take part. Many go to watch football, cricket, etc. at the ground, but many more sit at home and watch sport on television.
Most people today take relatively little general exercise. Over the last 30 or 40 years lifestyles have changed considerably and many people now travel even the shortest distances by car or bus. Lack of exercise combined with eating too many fatty and sugary foods has meant that many people are becoming too fat. Experts are particularly concerned that children spend a lot of their free time watching television or playing computer games instead of being physically active. In recent years, however, there has been a growing interest in fitness among young adults and many belong to a sports club or gym.
In Britain most towns have an amateur football and cricket team, and people also have opportunities to play sports such as tennis and golf. Older people may play bowls. Some people go regularly to a sports centre or leisure centre where there are facilities for playing badminton and squash, and also a swimming pool. Some sports centres arrange classes in aerobics, step and keep-fit. Some people work out (= train hard) regularly at a local gym and do weight training and circuit training. A few people do judo or other martial arts. Others go running or jogging in their local area. For enthusiastic runners there are opportunities to take part in long-distance runs, such as the London marathon. Other people keep themselves fit by walking or cycling. Many people go abroad on a skiing holiday each year and there are several dry slopes and snowdomes in Britain where they can practise.
Membership of a sports club or gym can be expensive and not everyone can afford the subscription. Local sports centres are generally cheaper. Evening classes are also cheap and offer a wide variety of fitness activities ranging from yoga to jazz dancing. Some companies now provide sports facilities for their employees or contribute to the cost of joining a gym.
Sports play an important part in American life. Professional baseball and football games attract large crowds, and many people watch games on television. Although many parents complain about their children being couch potatoes (= people who spend a lot of time watching television), there are sports sessions at school for all ages. College students are usually also required to take physical education classes to complete their studies.
Many popular keep-fit activities began in the US. Charles Atlas, Arnold Schwarzenegger and others inspired people to take up bodybuilding (= strengthening and shaping the muscles). Many women joined the ‘fitness craze’ as a result of video workouts produced by stars such as Jane Fonda and Cindy Crawford which they could watch and take part in at home. New fitness books are continually being published and these create fashions for new types of exercise, such as wave aerobics, which is done in a swimming pool, and cardio kick-boxing, a form of aerobics which involves punching and kicking a punchbag. Many richer people employ their own personal trainer, either at home or at a fitness centre, to direct their exercise programme. Local YMCAs offer programmes which include aerobics, gym, running, weights, treadmills and rowing machines, as well as steam rooms and swimming. But many people just walk or jog in the local park or play informal games of baseball or football. 
Thesaurus:
exercise noun
1. U, C
• Swimming is good exercise.
training • • workout • • aerobics • |BrE sport • • PE • |AmE sports • • P.E. •
do exercises/training/a workout/ aerobics/sport/PE
2. C
• Do one exercise for homework.
assignment • • task • • homework •
a/an easy/difficult exercise/assignment/task
do an exercise/a task/your homework
give/set (sb) some exercises/an assignment/a task/their homework 
Collocations:
Diet and exercise
Weight
put on/gain/lose weight/a few kilos/a few pounds
watch/control/struggle with your weight
be/become seriously overweight/underweight
be/become clinically/morbidly obese
achieve/facilitate/promote/stimulate weight loss
slim down to 70 kilos/(BrE) 11 stone/(especially NAmE) 160 pounds
combat/prevent/tackle/treat obesity
develop/have/suffer from/struggle with/recover from anorexia/bulimia/an eating disorder
be on/go on/follow a crash/strict diet
have/suffer from a negative/poor body image
have/develop a positive/healthy body image
Healthy eating
eat a balanced diet/healthily/sensibly
get/provide/receive adequate/proper nutrition
contain/get/provide essential nutrients/vitamins/minerals
be high/low in calories/fat/fibre/(especially US) fiber/protein/vitamin D/Omega-3 fatty acids
contain (no)/use/be full of/be free from additives/chemical preservatives/artificial sweeteners
avoid/cut down on/cut out alcohol/caffeine/fatty foods
stop/give up/ (especially NAmE) quit smoking
Exercise
(BrE) take regular exercise
do moderate/strenuous/vigorous exercise
play football/hockey/tennis
go cycling/jogging/running
go to/visit/ (especially NAmE) hit/work out at the gym
strengthen/tone/train your stomach muscles
contract/relax/stretch/use/work your lower-body muscles
build (up)/gain muscle
improve/increase your stamina/energy levels/physical fitness
burn/consume/expend calories
Staying healthy
be/get/keep/stay healthy/in shape/(especially BrE) fit
lower your cholesterol/blood pressure
boost/stimulate/strengthen your immune system
prevent/reduce the risk of heart disease/high blood pressure/diabetes/osteoporosis
reduce/relieve/manage/combat stress
enhance/promote relaxation/physical and mental well-being 
Example Bank:
• Ask your students to try this exercise before the next class.
• Before embarking on any exercise, you should conduct a cost-benefit analysis.
• Combine yoga with stretching and floor exercises.
• Do you take enough exercise?
• Half the regiment was away on exercise.
• He began his daily exercises.
• I did try some basic relaxation exercises.
• John never does any exercise.
• Lack of exercise is a risk factor in heart disease.
• Mental exercises can help older people to sustain their mental abilities.
• Practise/Practice the following exercise at least twice a day.
• Remember to do your breathing exercises every day.
• Role-playing situations allows a finer assessment to be made than in pen and paper exercises.
• She recommends the following exercises to increase circulation.
• Stop frequently to rest during exercise until you are fitter.
• The Government instituted a massive exercise in social control.
• The company has just carried out a major cost-cutting exercise.
• The doctor recommended regular exercise.
• The object of the exercise is to increase public awareness of environmental issues.
• The seminar was a valuable exercise in information exchange.
• The troops go on exercises twice a year.
• The whole consultation process was just a cynical political exercise.
• They recently completed a four-week exercise in Poland.
• This is a great exercise for the upper back.
• This is not a purely academic exercise: it should have a real impact on the way we work as a department.
• Try to do fifteen minutes of gentle exercise every day.
• US forces took part in joint exercises with the British Navy.
• We have conducted training exercises in seven separate states.
• We run team-building exercises with employees at each office.
• We were out on a field exercise.
• Weight-bearing exercise increases the health of bones.
• You can devise your own exercises to music.
• You may find it helpful to perform this exercise in front of the mirror.
• You will complete these exercises for homework.
• an exercise in translation
• an improper exercise of a discretionary power
• the effective exercise of power by the government
• the free exercise of informed choice
• to limit the exercise of political power
• As a public relations exercise the festival was clearly a success.
• Do one exercise for homework.
• I don't get much exercise sitting in the office all day.
• One of these powers is the exercise of discretion by police officers.
• Remember to take regular exercise.
• Sovereignty means more than just the exercise of power.
• breathing/relaxation/stretching exercises

• vigorous/gentle exercise

verb  
USE POWER/RIGHT/QUALITY
1. transitive ~ sth (formal) to use your power, rights or personal qualities in order to achieve sth
• When she appeared in court she exercised her right to remain silent.

• He was a man who exercised considerable influence over people.  

DO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

2. intransitive, transitive to do sports or other physical activities in order to stay healthy or become stronger; to make an animal do this
• an hour's class of exercising to music
• How often do you exercise?

• ~ sth Horses need to be exercised regularly.

3. transitive ~ sth 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.  

BE ANXIOUS

4. usually passive ~ sb/sth (about sth) (formal) if sb is exercised about sth, 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.
Word Origin:
Middle English (in the sense ‘application of a right’): via Old French from Latin exercitium, from exercere ‘keep busy, practise’, from ex- ‘thoroughly’ + arcere ‘keep in or away’.  
Thesaurus:
exercise verb I, T
• How often do you exercise?
work out • • train • • warm up • |especially BrE keep fit •
exercise/train/warm up properly
exercise/train/work out regularly
exercise/train a horse/dog
Exercise or work out? Exercise can be any type of physical activity; working out usually involves using equipment in a gym.  
Example Bank:
• Each of us has a vote— if we choose to exercise it.
• It is necessary to exercise caution when making recommendations.
• Managers are free to exercise their discretion in these cases.
• The all-powerful steering committee continued to exercise control.
• The company's representative failed to exercise due care.
• They found themselves unable to exercise influence and maintain independence.
• They have the right to exercise self-determination.
• the conditions necessary to fully exercise these rights
• the purposes for which power can be rightfully exercised
• the right to freely exercise your religion
• Care must be exercised to ensure there is no cross-contamination between samples.

• I've just done an hour's class of exercising to music.