Other forms: exploited, exploits, exploiting
To exploit is to use something fully, or to use somebody unfairly. Exploit the resources, exploit a weakness, exploited workers.
The two senses pull in opposite directions and the object decides which is meant: exploiting an opportunity is admirable and exploiting a person is not. As a noun, stressed on the first syllable, an exploit is a daring deed: his exploits in the war. In computing, an exploit is a piece of code that takes advantage of a security flaw. Note exploitation, which is nearly always the bad sense.
1verbexploitTo use something fully.
“The farmers exploited every inch of land to grow more food.”
2verbunfairlyTo use somebody unfairly.
“The factory owners exploited children, making them work twelve hours a day.”
exploit is a using, or a deed.
Old French esploit meant an achievement, from Latin explicare, to unfold. The noun kept the achievement and the verb acquired the exploitation, from the same idea of unfolding something's full use.
Old French
esploit
English, today
exploit
From Old French esploit, esploitier.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA