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Display of art; exercise of ability; contrivance; address. [Obs.] Richard . . . by a thousand princely skills, gathering so much corn as if he meant not to return. Fuller.

e, in recitation, examination, etc., the work of another for one's own, or to use in such exercise cribs, memeoranda, etc., which are prohibited. [College Cant, U.S.]

A dance or game played by boys, requiring active exercise. [Obs.] Gayton.

To take rest by a suspension of the voluntary exercise of the powers of the body and mind, and an apathy of the organs of sense; to slumber. Chaucer. Watching at the head of these that sleep. Milton.

To exercise the sense of smell. Ex. xxx. 38.

the scale by the names do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, by which singing is taught; a singing exercise upon these syllables.

A directive influence exercised by a mass of matter upon growing organs. Encyc. Brit.

To exercise supreme authority. [Obs.] Sir T. Herbert.

The quality or state of being sovereign, or of being a sovereign; the exercise of, or right to exercise, supreme power; dominion; sway; supremacy; independence; also, that which is sovereign; a sovereign state; as, Italy was formerly divided into many sovereignties. Woman desiren to have sovereignty As well over their…

and arms scientifically in attack or defense; to contend or combat with the fists, as for exercise or amusement; to box. Made believe to spar at Paul with great science. Dickens.

nd, goods, shares, etc.; as, a speculative dealer or enterprise. The speculative merchant exercises no one regular, established, or well-known branch of business. A. Smith. -- Spec"u*la*tive*ly, adv. -- Spec"u*la*tive*ness, n.

taining to spelling. Spelling bee, a spelling match. [U.S.] -- Spelling book, a book with exercises for teaching children to spell; a speller. -- Spelling match, a contest of skill in spelling words, between two or more persons.

orm; sphere of duty or occupation; employment. By spending this day [Sunday] in religious exercises, we acquire new strength and resolution to perform God's will in our several stations the week following. R. Nelson.

In Scotland, a magistrate appointed by the crown to exercise jurisdiction over royal lands. Erskine. Lord high steward, formerly, the first officer of the crown; afterward, an officer occasionally appointed, as for a coronation, or upon the trial of a peer. [Eng.]

nce, urgency; importance; weight; significance. The faculties of the mind are improved by exercise, yet they must not be put to a stress beyond their strength. Locke. A body may as well lay too little as too much stress upon a dream. L'Estrange.

One of a sect of anchorites in the early church, who lived on the tops of pillars for the exercise of their patience; -- called also pillarist and pillar saint.

One who possesses or exercises the political right of suffrage; a voter.

To have or exercise the charge and oversight of; to oversee with the power of direction; to take care of with authority; to supervise; as, an officer superintends the building of a ship or the construction of a fort. The king may appoint a council, who may superintend the works of this nature. Bacon.…

nt from college; to suspend a member of a club. Good men should not be suspended from the exercise of their ministry and deprived of their livelihood for ceremonies which are on all hands acknowledged indifferent. Bp. Sanderson.

Of a person in respect of the exercise of his office, powers, prerogative, etc.; as, the suspension of a student or of a clergyman.