pedal
noun
ped·al
| \ ˈpe-dᵊl
\
\
Definition of pedal
(Entry 1 of 3)
1
: a lever pressed by the foot in the playing of a musical instrument (such as an organ or piano)
2
: a foot lever or treadle by which a part is activated in a mechanism
a bike's pedals
pedal
adjective
ped·al
Definition of pedal (Entry 2 of 3)
1
\ ˈpe-dᵊl
also ˈpē- \
: of or relating to the foot
also ˈpē- \
: of or relating to the foot
2
\ ˈpe-dᵊl
\
: of, relating to, or involving a pedal
\
: of, relating to, or involving a pedal
pedal
verb
ped·al
| \ ˈpe-dᵊl
\
\
pedaled
also pedalled;
pedaling
also pedalling\ ˈpe-dᵊl-iŋ
, ˈped-liŋ \
, ˈped-liŋ \
Definition of pedal (Entry 3 of 3)
: to work the pedals of
Examples of pedal in a Sentence
Verb
He was pedaling as fast as he could. He pedaled down to the store.Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
According to the probable cause affidavit, the victim said two men approached him and that Green grabbed onto his bike and pulled it away from him while he was still clipped into the bike by the pedals. — oregonlive, "20-year-old charged with attacking cyclist on Springwater Corridor, stealing $10,000 bike," 30 Aug. 2019 And the Democrats looking toward 2020 do not seem to be very much in search of a brake pedal. — Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, "Joe Biden, Designated White Guy," 13 Aug. 2019 Turbo is the full-time pedal-assist mode with a range of up to 35 km. — Thomas Ricker, The Verge, "Byar Volta is a shaft-driven e-bike that might never need charging," 17 July 2019 Among the world’s legions of migrants, a certain pedal taxonomy holds. — Paul Salopek, National Geographic, "A storyteller chronicles the mass migrations that define our age," 17 July 2019 Illustration: Arthur Mount E-bikes can legally provide motorized pedal-assist up to 28 mph. — Ashley Mateo, WSJ, "Should You Trade in Your Car for an E-Bike?," 20 June 2019 The vehicle’s flat, rectangular seat will be padded, the company says, and include either a pedal-assist or peg depending on rider preference. — Peter Holley, Washington Post, "Bird adds new vehicle to its fleet: a two-seater electric bicycle with an LCD screen.," 5 June 2019 The way American Jews chose to manage the tricky road, between the declaration of a Jewish State on the one hand and their loyalty to America on the other, was a kind of soft-pedal Zionism. — Joseph Hincks, Time, "How Trump Fits Into the Long, Fraught History of the Relationship Between Israel and American Jews," 20 Aug. 2019 Reports say the girl hit the wrong pedal and accelerated, striking Enrique Vazquez, 47, and his dog, killing them both. — Cliff Pinckard, cleveland.com, "Texas man lets daughter, 12, drive SUV; she hits, kills man and dog, police say," 19 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
For his part, Munchak was stoked to get his mitts on a 312-pound road-grader with a combination of back-pedaling balance and lethal burst in open space. — Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, "Why Ja’Wuan James’ $51-million contract with the Broncos is worth every penny," 2 Sep. 2019 The Interior statement said riders must use the motor only to boost their pedaling on the trails, and not zip along on motor power alone. — NBC News, "Electric bikes may soon be humming along national park trails," 2 Sep. 2019 The Interior statement said riders must use the motor only to boost their pedaling on the trails, and not zip along on motor power alone. — David Sharp, BostonGlobe.com, "Electric bikes soon to be humming along national park trails," 31 Aug. 2019 The electric motor only operates when the rider is pedaling, and the bikes have a top speed of 20 mph. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Tariffs, tech issues put brakes on North County coastal bike-share program," 12 Aug. 2019 The Interior statement said riders must use the motor only to boost their pedaling on the trails, and not zip along on motor power alone. — Anchorage Daily News, "Electric bikes soon to be humming along national park trails," 23 Sep. 2018 The pedal moves very smoothly and 10 people pedaling [lightly] can really move the boat along. — Lauren Daley, BostonGlobe.com, "Cycling on the water with beer? It’s real, and it’s in Boston," 20 Aug. 2019 Earlier, police said, a robber on a ride-share bicycle took someone’s property in the 1400 block of Rhode Island Avenue NW and pedaled away, heading west on N Street. — Martin Weil, Washington Post, "Bicycles used in 2 street robberies and an attempted robbery Sunday, police say," 21 July 2019 Politicians in this growing city pursue cycling as a mode of transportation to the fullest potential, prioritizing pedaling over driving, aiming to double bicycle commuting traffic by 2030. — Copenhagenize Design Co., WIRED, "The 20 Most Bike-Friendly Cities on the Planet, Ranked," 27 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pedal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for pedal
pedal
noun
English Language Learners Definition of pedal
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a flat piece of metal, rubber, etc., that you push with your foot to make a machine move, work, or stop
: a lever on a piano, organ, etc., that you push with your foot to make or change a sound
pedal
verb
English Language Learners Definition of pedal (Entry 2 of 2)
: to push the pedals of (something, such as a bicycle)
: to ride a bicycle to a particular place
See the full definition for pedal in the English Language Learners Dictionary
pedal
noun
ped·al
| \ ˈpe-dᵊl
\
\
Kids Definition of pedal
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a lever worked by the foot or feet
pedal
verb
pedaled
also pedalled;
pedaling
also pedalling
Kids Definition of pedal (Entry 2 of 2)
: to use or work levers with a foot or feet
She's learning how to pedal a bicycle.