pedal definition - Dictionary

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pedal (1)

ped·al [ pédd'l ]

noun (plural ped·als)

Definition:

1. foot-operated lever for machine: a lever operated by the foot that powers a mechanism such as a bicycle, sewing machine, or the foot controls of a car

2. foot-operated lever for musical instrument: a foot-operated lever used in playing the piano, organ, and other musical instruments

3. music
Same as pedal point

transitive and intransitive verb (past and past participle ped·aled, present participle ped·al·ing, 3rd person present singular ped·als)

Definition:

1. make bicycle move: to push down on the pedals to make a bicycle or other vehicle move forward

2. operate or play instrument using pedals: to operate the pedals of a piano or organ while playing it, or those of a machine in order to make it work

[Early 17th century. Via French< Italian pedale (d'organo) "(organ) pedal" < Latin pedalis "of the foot" < ped- "foot"]

ped·al·er noun

Spelling Note


	pedal, peddle, or petal? Do not confuse the spelling of pedal, peddle, and petal, which sound similar. The words pedal and petal are chiefly used as nouns, pedal denoting a part pressed by the foot, for example, on a bicycle or a piano, and petal denoting one of the colored parts of a flower. Pedal can also be used as a verb, meaning "operate the pedals of," as in pedal a bicycle. The word peddle is only used as a verb, meaning "sell" or "promote," as in peddling books, peddling ideas.