pedal

Etymology

Borrowed from French pédale, Italian pedale, Latin pedālis.

Pronunciation

• (noun, verb) enPR: pĕdʹəl, IPA^(key): /ˈpɛdəl/
• (adjective) enPR: pēdʹəl, IPA^(key): /ˈpiːdəl/ or as the noun
• Rhymes: -ɛdəl, -iːdəl
• Homophones: peddle, petal (some dialects)

Noun

pedal (plural pedals)

1. A lever operated by one's foot that is used to control or power a machine or mechanism, such as a bicycle or piano

   There are three pedals on manual cars, two on automatics.

   A piano usually has two or three pedals.

   the pedal of a loom

2. (medicine) a foot or footlike part.
3. (music) An effects unit, especially one designed to be activated by being stepped on.
4. (equestrian, humorous) A stirrup.
5. (music) The ranks of pipes played from the pedal-board of an organ.

   A small organ commonly has only one or two ranks on the pedal.

Verb

pedal (third-person singular simple present pedals, present participle (UK) pedalling or (US) pedaling, simple past and past participle (UK) pedalled or (US) pedaled)

1. To operate a pedal attached to a wheel in a continuous circular motion.

   to pedal one's loom

2. To operate a bicycle.

   He was out of breath from pedalling up the steep hill.

Adjective

pedal (not comparable)

1. Of or relating to the foot.

References

• “pedal” (US) / “pedal” (UK) in Oxford Dictionaries, Oxford University Press.

Anagrams

• padel, padle, paled, plead

Etymology

From Spanish pedal (“pedal”).

Noun

pedal

1. pedal

Etymology

From Latin pedalis

Noun

pedal m (definite singular pedalen, indefinite plural pedaler, definite plural pedalene)

1. a pedal

References

• “pedal” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Etymology

From Latin pedalis

Noun

pedal m (definite singular pedalen, indefinite plural pedalar, definite plural pedalane)

1. a pedal

References

• “pedal” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin pedālis.

Noun

pedal m (plural pedais)

1. pedal (lever operated by one’s foot)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin pedālis.

Noun

pedal m (plural pedales)

1. pedal

Noun

pedal c

1. pedal; a lever operated by one's foot that is used to control a machine or mechanism, such as a bicycle or piano