▪ I. † eˈxerce, n. Obs. Sc.
In 6 excerse.
[f. next.]
Exercise.
| 1549 Compl. Scot. Prol. 9 Throucht sic excerse, ther membris mycht be purgit fra corruppit humours. |
▪ II. † exerce, v. Chiefly Sc. Obs.
Forms: 4 exercen, 5–6 excers(e, 6 exers, 5– exerce.
[a. OF. exercer, ad. L. exercēre: see exercise n.]
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 (1608) 696 The honie bees Exerce themselfes 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 tr. 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 tr. Canisius' Catech. 9 Our lord Iesus thairfor sittis one the rycht hand of the power of god, exerceing æqual pouer with y⊇ 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 Duke of Athol in Vulpone 21 To retain, enjoy or bruik and exerce all their Rights. |
Hence eˈxerced 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. |