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Webster 1913 Edition


Exert

Ex-ert′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Exerted
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Exerting
.]
[L.
exertus
,
exsertus
, p. p. of
exerere
,
exserere
, to thrust out;
ex
out +
serere
to join or bind together. See
Series
, and cf.
Exsert
.]
1.
To thrust forth; to emit; to push out.
[Obs.]
So from the seas
exerts
his radiant head
The star by whom the lights of heaven are led.
Dryden.
2.
To put force, ability, or anything of the nature of an active faculty; to put in vigorous action; to bring into active operation;
as, to
exert
the strength of the body, limbs, faculties, or imagination; to
exert
the mind or the voice.
3.
To put forth, as the result or exercise of effort; to bring to bear; to do or perform.
When we will has
exerted
an act of command on any faculty of the soul or member of the body.
South.
To exert one’s self
,
to use efforts or endeavors; to strive; to make an attempt.
Syn. – Attempt; endeavor; effort; essay; trial. See
Attempt
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Exert

EXERT'

,
Verb.
T.
egzert'. [L. exero, for exsero; ex and sero, to throw, to thrust, for this is the radical sense of sero.]
1.
Literally, to thrust forth; to emit; to push out.
Before the gems exert
Their feeble heads.
[An unusual application.]
2.
To bring out; to cause to come forth; to produce. But more generally,
3.
To put or thrust forth, as strength, force or ability; to strain; to put in action; to bring into active operation; as, to exert the strength of the body or limbs; to exert efforts; to exert powers or faculties; to exert the mind.
4.
To put forth; to do or perform.
When the will has exerted an act of command
on any faculty of the soul.
To exert one's self, is to use efforts; to strive.

Definition 2024


exert

exert

English

Verb

exert (third-person singular simple present exerts, present participle exerting, simple past and past participle exerted)

  1. To put in vigorous action.
    I exerted myself in today's training.
  2. To make use of, to apply, especially of something non-material.
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess:
      Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him.
    • 2016 April 18, Phil McNulty, Chelsea 1-0 Barcelona”, in BBC Sport:
      Di Matteo clearly saw Drogba's power as a potential threat to a Barcelona defence stripped of Gerard Pique - but he barely caught sight of goal in a first 45 minutes in which the Catalans exerted their technical superiority.
    He considered exerting his influence on John to gain an advantage for himself.

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