Sentence:  Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by <WSD>exerting</WSD> 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. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To make use of, to apply, especially of something non-material.