WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Ex*ploit"
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [OE. esploit success, OF. esploit, espleit,revenue, product, vigor, force, exploit, F. exploit exploit, fr. L. explicitum, prop. p.p. neut. of explicare to unfold, display, exhibit; ex+plicare to fold. See Ply, and cf. Explicit, Explicate.]
Definition : 1. A deed or act; especially, a heroic act; a deed of renown; an adventurous or noble achievement; as, the exploits of Alexander the Great. Ripe for exploits and mighty enterprises. Shak.

2. Combat; war. [Obs.] He made haste to exploit some warlike service. Holland.

2. Etym: [F. exploiter.]

Defn: To utilize; to make available; to get the value or usefulness out of; as, to exploit a mine or agricultural lands; to exploit public opinion. [Recent]

3. Hence: To draw an illegitimate profit from; to speculate on; to put upon. [Recent] In no sense whatever does a man who accumulates a fortune by legitimate industry exploit his employ?s or make his capital "out of" anybody else. W. G. Sumner.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913