pedal

The definition of a pedal is something you push with your foot or legs that powers something or that prevents the dampers on a piano from stopping the sound.

(noun)

  1. The metal thing in your car that you press down on to let gas come in and power the engine is an example of a gas pedal.
  2. The thing you push on with your foot to get your bike to move forward is an example of a pedal.
  3. The thing you push your foot down on when you want a piano to hold a note is an example of a pedal.

Pedal is to use your foot or leg power to power something, or to press on something that provides power.

(verb)

An example of pedal is wen you make a bicycle move forward with the power of your legs by pressing on pedals.

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See pedal in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

  1. of or having to do with the foot or feet
  2. of or operated by a pedal or pedals

Origin: L pedalis < pes (gen. pedis), foot

noun

  1. a lever operated by the foot, used in transmitting motion, as on a bicycle, or a pad pressed by the foot in activating a mechanism, as on a sewing machine, so as to operate a device
  2. such a lever or pad used to change the tone or volume of a musical instrument, as an organ or harp

Origin: MFr pédale < It pedale < L pedalis: see pedalthe

transitive verb, intransitive verb pedaled or pedalled, pedaling or pedalling

to move or operate by a pedal or pedals; use the pedals (of)

See pedal in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. a. A foot-operated lever used for actuating or controlling a mechanism, as in a loom, sewing machine, piano, or organ.
    b. A similar foot-operated part attached to a crank and used for powering various devices, such as a bicycle.
  2. Music
    a. A pedal point.
    b. A pedal keyboard.
adjective
  1. Of or relating to a pedal.
  2. also (pēdˈl) Of or relating to a foot or footlike part: the pedal extremities.
verb ped·aled or ped·alled, ped·al·ing or ped·al·ling, ped·als
verb, intransitive
  1. To use or operate a pedal or pedals.
  2. To ride a bicycle.
verb, transitive
To operate the pedals of.

Origin:

Origin: French pédale

Origin: , from Italian pedale

Origin: , from Latin pedālis, one foot long

Origin: , from pēs, ped-, foot; see ped- in Indo-European roots

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