(n.) The act of exerting, or putting into motion or action; the active exercise of any power or faculty; an effort, esp. a laborious or perceptible effort; as, an exertion of strength or power; an exertion of the limbs or of the mind; it is an exertion for him to move, to-day.

action active use activity appliance application assiduity assiduousness consumption determination diligence drive effort elbow grease employ employment endeavor exercise exercising good use hard pull hard usage hard use ill use industry misuse operation pains push resolution rough usage sedulity sedulousness strain striving struggle toil trouble usage use using up while work wrong use