pedal

• POS: Adjective, Noun, Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: ped=al

CIDE DICTIONARY

pedal, a. [L. pedalis, fr. pes, pedis, foot. See Foot, and cf. Pew.].

•  Of or pertaining to the foot, or to feet, literally or figuratively; specifically (Zoöl.), pertaining to the foot of a mollusk; as, the pedal ganglion.  [1913 Webster]
•  Of or pertaining to a pedal; having pedals.  [1913 Webster]

Pedal curve or Pedal surface (Geom.), the curve or surface which is the locus of the feet of perpendiculars let fall from a fixed point upon the straight lines tangent to a given curve, or upon the planes tangent to a given surface. -- Pedal note (Mus.), the note which is held or sustained through an organ point. See Organ point, under Organ. -- Pedal organ (Mus.), an organ which has pedals or a range of keys moved by the feet; that portion of a full organ which is played with the feet.

pedal, n. [Cf. F. pédale, It. pedale. See Pedal, a.].

•  A lever or key acted on by the foot, as in the pianoforte to raise the dampers, or in the organ to open and close certain pipes; a treadle, as in a lathe or a bicycle.  [1913 Webster]
•  A pedal curve or surface.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

pedal, n. & v.
--n.
1 any of several types of foot-operated levers or controls for mechanisms, esp.: a either of a pair of levers for transmitting power to a bicycle or tricycle wheel etc. b any of the foot-operated controls in a motor vehicle. c any of the foot-operated keys of an organ used for playing notes, or for drawing out several stops at once etc. d each of the foot-levers on a piano etc. for making the tone fuller or softer. e each of the foot-levers on a harp for altering the pitch of the strings.
2 a note sustained in one part, usu. the bass, through successive harmonies, some of which are independent of it.
--v. (pedalled, pedalling; US pedaled, pedaling)
1 intr. operate a cycle, organ, etc. by using the pedals.
2 tr. work (a bicycle etc.) with the pedals.

Idiom

pedal cycle a bicycle.

pedal, adj. Zool. of the foot or feet (esp. of a mollusc).

Etymology

L pedalis f. pes pedis foot

THESAURUS

pedal

advance, bar, beam, bicycle, bike, boom, bowl, bunt, bus, butt, cant hook, catch a train, chauffeur, choir, claviature, claw bar, clawed, console, crank, crow, crowbar, cycle, drive, echo, eighty-eight, entrain, fingerboard, footed, forward, go by rail, great, handspike, hoofed, impel, iron crow, ivories, jimmy, joyride, keyboard, keys, lever, limb, make a train, manual, marlinespike, motor, motorcycle, move, organ manual, outrigger, peavey, pedals, piano keys, pinch bar, plantar, pole, prize, propel, pry, push, ride, ripping bar, roll, row, shove, shunt, solo, spar, sweep, sweep along, swell, take a joyride, taloned, taxi, thrust, toed, treadle, troll, trundle, ungulate, wheel, wrecking bar

ROGET THESAURUS

pedal

Instrument

N instrument, machinery, mechanism, engineering, instrument, organ, tool, implement, utensil, machine, engine, lathe, gin, mill, air engine, caloric engine, heat engine, gear, tackle, tackling, rig, rigging, apparatus, appliances, plant, materiel, harness, trappings, fittings, accouterments, barde, equipment, equipmentage, appointments, furniture, upholstery, chattels, paraphernalia, mechanical powers, lever, leverage, mechanical advantage, crow, crowbar, handspike, gavelock, jemmy, jimmy, arm, limb, wing, oar, paddle, pulley, wheel and axle, wheelwork, clockwork, wheels within wheels, pinion, crank, winch, cam, pedal, capstan, wheel, inclined plane, wedge, screw, spring, mainspring, can hook, glut, heald, heddle, jenny, parbuckle, sprag, water wheel, handle, hilt, haft, shaft, heft, shank, blade, trigger, tiller, helm, treadle, key, turnscrew, screwdriver, knocker, hammer, edge tool, borer, vice, teeth, nail, rope, peg, support, spoon, arms, oar, cardiograph, recapper, snowplow, tenpenny, votograph, instrumental, mechanical, machinal, brachial.