chiefly Sc. Obs. Forms: 4 exercen, 5–6 excers(e, 6 exers, 5– exerce. [a. OF. exercer, ad. L. exercēre: see EXERCISE sb.]
1. trans. To set in motion; to give play to (anger); to display (wisdom); = EXERCISE v. 1 b.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (1858), I. 84. Amang the Britis for till exers thair ire; Tha enterit in baith with blude and fyre.
1578. Gude & Godl. Ball. (1868), 85. The just mannis mouth exercis sapience.
2. To give employment to (a person); to employ with a view to improvement; to discipline, train. Const. in. Also absol. of a thing: To keep employed or busy; = EXERCISE v. 2 and 4.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., IV. vii. (1561), 234 a. Certes all thyng that exerceth or corrigeth it profiteth.
1548. Compl. Scot., Prol. 9. He statut ane ordinance til excerse his propir childir ande the ȝong princis.
1584. T. Hudson, Du Bartas’ Judith, 13.
| Then as ye see sometime the honie bees, | |
| Exerse themselfs on buddes of sweetest trees. |
1585. Jas. I., Ess. Poesie (Arb.), 29. The bookes of Troy … Exerce but cease thy toung and eke thy pen.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot. (1885), 92. In handling of waiponis exerce thame.
3. To carry on, carry out, perform (deeds, trades, etc.); to put in force, wield (power, right, etc.); to fulfil (a duty), fulfil the duties of (an office). Cf. EXERCISE v. 5. Also intr. to serve (as a soldier).
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., II. vi. 52. But wher shal men fynden any man þat may exercen or haunten any ryȝt vpon an oþer man but oonly vpon hys body.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 118. For to use and excerse the werkys of thaire sauement.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 427/1. He had … excerced … the fayte of aduocacye in the bysshoppes courte of Tryguyer.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VIII. viii. 141. To excers vnder the, And lerne the fate of knychtlie cheulrye.
1528. Lyndesay, Dream, 1074. Be exampyll to thy peple all, Exersing verteous deidis honorabyll.
1588. A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., 9 b. Our lord Iesvs thairfor sittis one the rycht hand of the pouer of god, exerceing æqual pouer with ye father.
a. 1639. Spottiswood, Hist. Ch. Scot., V. (1851), 196. The Iustice Aires … were exerced with much rigour.
1681. Lond. Gaz., No. 1670/1. The Intrinsick Spiritual Power of the Church … as it was exerced by the Apostles.
1707. Dk. Athol, in Vulpone, 21. To retain, enjoy or bruik and exerce all their Rights.
Hence Exerced ppl. a., in scholastic phrase exerced act (= ‘exercised act’; see EXERCISED ppl. a.)
1652. Urquhart, Jewel, Wks. (1834), 293. Figures and tropes … in their actu signato … somewhat harsh and scabrous, yet in their exerced act, [etc.].
