pedal
PED-uhl
/ˈpɛdəl/
A foot-operated lever used to drive a mechanism, or the action of operating such levers.
Focuses on foot controls found on bicycles, cars, organs, or pianos.
The story behind the word. Derived from Latin 'pes' (foot). The word originally applied to organ foot pedals in European cathedrals. When early velocipedes were engineered in the 1860s, inventors adopted the term for the foot levers attached to the drive wheel.
Word relationships
- treadle: Treadle specifically refers to foot levers on historical machinery like sewing machines or looms.
Commonly confused with
- peddle: Peddle means to sell goods door-to-door or on the street, while pedal is a foot-operated lever.
- petal: Petal is a brightly colored segment of a flower blossom.
Word family
- pedaling (noun): The action of operating foot levers.
- pedaled (verb): Past tense of pedal.
Collocations
- pedal power
- clipless pedal
- pedal hard
- back pedal
Idioms & expressions
- backpedal
Example sentences
- "He pushed hard on the right pedal to gain momentum up the steep hill." Cycling Weekly
- "She had to pedal furiously against the strong headwind on her way home." Metropolitan Commuter
Memory hook
PEDAL is for your feet, just like a PEDiatrist treats feet! Foot-driven lever.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'peddle' (to sell goods) or 'petal' (a flower leaf).
Fun facts
- The earliest bicycles, known as 'dandy horses', had no pedals at all—riders had to propel themselves by running along the ground!
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