pedal

[ ped-l peed-l ]

noun

1. a foot-operated lever used to control certain mechanisms, as automobiles, or to play or modify the sounds of certain musical instruments, as pianos, organs, or harps.
2. a leverlike part worked by the foot to supply power in various mechanisms, as the bicycle.
3. Music.
   1. a foot-operated keyboard, as on an organ or harpsichord.
   2. any of the keys of such a keyboard.
   3. pedal point.

verb (used without object)

, ped·aled, ped·al·ing or (especially British) ped·alled, ped·al·ling.

1. to work or use the pedals, as in playing an organ or propelling a bicycle.

verb (used with object)

, ped·aled, ped·al·ing or (especially British) ped·alled, ped·al·ling.

1. to work the pedals of (an organ, bicycle, etc.).

adjective

1. of or relating to a foot or the feet.
2. of or relating to a pedal or pedals.
3. using pedals:

   a pedal mechanism.

pedal

¹

/ ˈpiːdəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to the foot or feet

pedal

²

/ ˈpɛdəl /

noun

1. 1. any foot-operated lever or other device, esp one of the two levers that drive the chain wheel of a bicycle, the foot brake, clutch control, or accelerator of a car, one of the levers on an organ controlling deep bass notes, or one of the levers on a piano used to create a muted effect or sustain tone
   2. ( as modifier )

      a pedal cycle

      a pianist's pedal technique

verb

1. to propel (a bicycle, boat, etc) by operating the pedals
2. intr to operate the pedals of an organ, piano, etc, esp in a certain way
3. to work (pedals of any kind)

Word History and Origins

Origin of pedal¹

1605–15; (< French pédale ) < Latin pedālis of the feet. See ped- ², -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of pedal¹

C17: from Latin pedālis, from pēs foot

Origin of pedal²

C17: from Latin pedālis; see pedal ²

Idioms and Phrases

see soft pedal .

Example Sentences

I strain and push and pedal and wonder, “When will this end?”

From The Daily Beast

I push down on the pedal with my right leg and instead of propelling myself forward, I topple over sideways.

From The Daily Beast

And when the AHA is reintroduced in parliament, as it inevitably will be, he can soft-pedal.

From The Daily Beast

He'd pedal a few yards, then the handle bars would get away from him.

From The Daily Beast

And together, they can successfully pedal a bike down a rather busy city street.

From The Daily Beast

That is one of the places that when the pianists come to, they get their foot hard on to the pedal and hold on to it—Herr Gott!

From Project Gutenberg

I had played that study to Tausig, and he found no fault with my use of the pedal; so I sat down thinking I could do it right.

From Project Gutenberg

The pedal keys were almost invariably straight and the pedal boards flat.

From Project Gutenberg

It frequently leads to a player upsetting his Pedal combination when he has no desire to do so.

From Project Gutenberg

Metal buttons or pistons located on the toe piece of the pedal-board were introduced by the ingenious Casavant of Canada.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• perform
• work