Definition

1. Noun:

   • A lever operated by the foot: A device, typically found on bicycles, pianos, or certain machinery, that is designed to be pressed or moved by the foot to control a function.
   • A sustained bass note in music: In music, particularly organ music, a pedal is a low, sustained note, often the bass note, that provides harmonic support.

2. Verb:

   • To operate the pedals of a machine or instrument: To use one's feet to work the pedals, as in riding a bicycle or playing a piano or organ.
   • To ride a bicycle: To propel and steer a bicycle by operating its pedals.

3. Adjective:

   • Relating to the foot or feet: Pertaining to or involving the feet. This usage is primarily technical or biological.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • Press the brake pedal to slow down the car.
  • The organist held the pedal note throughout the chord.
• Verb:
  • You must pedal harder to climb this hill.
  • She learned to pedal a bicycle when she was five.
• Adjective:
  • The study focused on pedal locomotion in insects. (This is a technical/scientific usage.)

Advanced Usage

• "to pedal backwards": To turn the pedals of a bicycle in reverse, often to engage a brake or for a specific maneuver.
  • On some bikes, you pedal backwards to brake.
• "soft pedal" (verb phrase): To make something seem less important or serious; to downplay. This is a figurative use derived from the piano's soft pedal, which reduces volume.
  • The company tried to soft pedal the negative news.

Variants and Related Words

• Pedal bin (noun): A trash can with a lid operated by a foot pedal.
• Pedal boat (noun): A small boat propelled by pedals that turn a paddle wheel.
• Pedal pusher (noun): 1. A cyclist. 2. A type of calf-length trousers.
• Pedal steel guitar (noun): A type of electric guitar with pedals to change the pitch of the strings.

Synonyms

• Noun (lever): Treadle, foot lever.
• Verb (operate): Cycle, bike.
• Adjective (foot-related): Pedestrian (in the sense of "on foot"), podal (technical).

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Pedal away: To ride a bicycle away from a place.
  • He pedaled away into the distance.
• Pedal off: Similar to "pedal away"; to depart by bicycle.
  • She pedaled off to work.

Related Idioms

• "Put the pedal to the metal": To drive a vehicle very fast or to proceed with maximum effort and speed.
  • We're behind schedule, so we need to put the pedal to the metal.
• "Back-pedal": To reverse one's previous opinion, policy, or promise; to retreat from a position.
  • After public criticism, the politician began to back-pedal on his statement.

Adjective

1. of or relating to the feet
   • the word for a pedal extremity is `foot'

Noun

1. a lever that is operated with the foot
2. a sustained bass note

Verb

1. operate the pedals on a keyboard instrument
2. ride a bicycle