pedal

Everyday

1. A part you push with your foot to make a bike move. tree →
2. A part you press with your foot to control a machine, car or piano. tree →
3. (verb) To push the pedals of a bike to make it go. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and safety, cycling: pedal steadily, keep your feet on the pedals, wear a helmet. In science, pedals and gears are simple machines that turn your push into movement. In cars, the brake and accelerator are pedals. Phrases: «pedal hard», «back-pedal», «pedal bin», «brake pedal».

Examples

• Push down on the pedals to make the bike go. tree →
• I pedalled up the hill. tree →
• The car has a brake pedal and a gas pedal. tree →
• Press the piano pedal to make the note last longer. tree →
• She pedalled as fast as she could. tree →
• Put the rubbish in the pedal bin. tree →
• My foot slipped off the pedal. tree →

Note

UK spelling: pedalled, pedalling; US: pedaled, pedaling. Homophone: «peddle» (to sell things, often in a bad way). Back-pedal means change what you said.