lever - Definitions from Dictionary.com

12 results for: lever

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

lev·er

Audio Help [lev-er, lee-ver] Pronunciation Key

–noun

1.	Mechanics. a rigid bar that pivots about one point and that is used to move an object at a second point by a force applied at a third. Compare machine (def. 4b).

2.	a means or agency of persuading or of achieving an end: Saying that the chairman of the board likes the plan is just a lever to get us to support it.

3.	Horology. the pallet of an escapement.

–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)

4.	to move with or apply a lever: to lever a rock; to lever mightily and to no avail.

[Origin: 1250–1300; ME levere, levour for *lever < AF; OF levier, equiv. to lev(er) to lift (< L levāre to lighten, lift, v. deriv. of levis light) + -ier -ier²

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
lever

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

Le·ver

Audio Help [lee-ver] Pronunciation Key

–noun

Charles James (“Cornelius O'Dowd”

), 1806–72, Irish novelist and essayist.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

lev·er Audio Help (lěv'ər, lē'vər) Pronunciation Key

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n.

A simple machine consisting of a rigid bar pivoted on a fixed point and used to transmit force, as in raising or moving a weight at one end by pushing down on the other.
A projecting handle used to adjust or operate a mechanism.
A means of accomplishing; a tool: used friendship as a lever to obtain advancement.

tr.v. lev·ered, lev·er·ing, lev·ers
To move or lift with or as if with a lever.

[Middle English, from Old French levier, from lever, to raise, from Latin levāre, from levis, light; see leg^wh- in Indo-European roots.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
lever

1297, from O.Fr. levier "a lifter, a lever," agent noun from lever "to raise," from L. levare "to raise," from levis "light" in weight, from PIE base *le(n)gwh- "light, easy, agile, nimble" (cf. Skt. laghuh "quick, small;" Gk. elakhys "small," elaphros "light;" O.C.S. liguku, Lith. lengvas "light;" O.Ir. laigiu "smaller, worse;" Goth. leihts, O.E. leoht "light" (adj.)). Leverage "action of a lever" is first recorded 1724; figurative sense is from 1858; financial speculation sense is from 1937.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

lever
noun
1.	a rigid bar pivoted about a fulcrum
2.	a simple machine that gives a mechanical advantage when given a fulcrum
3.	a flat metal tumbler in a lever lock
verb
1.	to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open; "The burglar jimmied the lock": "Raccoons managed to pry the lid off the garbage pail" [syn: pry]

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
lever1 [ˈliːvə, (American) ˈlevər] noun

a bar of wood, metal etc used to lift heavy weights
Example: A crowbar is a kind of lever; You must use a coin as a lever to get the lid of that tin off.

Arabic:	رافِعَه، مُخل
Chinese (Simplified):	杆
Chinese (Traditional):	杆
Czech:	páka
Danish:	løftestang
Dutch:	hefboom
Estonian:	kang
Finnish:	vipu
French:	levier
German:	der Hebel
Greek:	μοχλός
Hungarian:	emelő
Icelandic:	vogarstöng; lyftistöng
Indonesian:	tuas
Italian:	leva

Japanese:	てこ
Korean:	지레, 지렛대
Latvian:	svira
Lithuanian:	svertas, svirtis
Norwegian:	spett, løftestang, jekk
Polish:	dźwignia
Portuguese (Brazil):	alavanca
Portuguese (Portugal):	alavanca
Romanian:	levier, pârghie
Russian:	рычаг
Slovak:	páka
Slovenian:	vzvod
Spanish:	palanca
Swedish:	hävstång
Turkish:	manivelâ, kaldıraç

lever2 [ˈliːvə, (American) ˈlevər] noun

a bar or handle for operating a machine etc
Example: This is the lever that switches on the power.

Arabic:	وَسيلَة تَشْغيل
Chinese (Simplified):	控制杆
Chinese (Traditional):	控制杆
Czech:	páčka
Danish:	håndtag
Dutch:	hendel
Estonian:	kang
Finnish:	vipu
French:	levier
German:	der Hebel
Greek:	μοχλός, λεβιές
Hungarian:	fogantyú, kar
Icelandic:	stöng, handfang
Indonesian:	tuas
Italian:	leva

Japanese:	レバー
Korean:	레버
Latvian:	vadības svira
Lithuanian:	svirtis
Norwegian:	spak, stang
Polish:	dźwignia
Portuguese (Brazil):	alavanca
Portuguese (Portugal):	alavanca
Romanian:	manetă
Russian:	рукоятка, рычаг
Slovak:	páčka
Slovenian:	vzvod
Spanish:	palanca
Swedish:	spak
Turkish:	kol, levye

lever [ˈliːvə, (American) ˈlevər] verb

to move with or as if with a lever
Example: He levered the lid off with a coin.

Arabic:	يَرْفَع، يُحَرِّك
Chinese (Simplified):	用杠杆撬动
Chinese (Traditional):	用杠杆撬動
Czech:	(vy)páčit
Danish:	vippe
Dutch:	wrikken
Estonian:	hoobama
Finnish:	vivuta
French:	soulever qqch. en se servant d'un levier
German:	hebeln
Greek:	κινώ, ανασηκώνω κτ. με μοχλό
Hungarian:	emelővel (meg)emel
Icelandic:	lyfta með vogarafli
Indonesian:	mencongkel
Italian:	fare leva; spostare con una leva*

Japanese:	てこで動かす
Korean:	지레로 움직이다
Latvian:	celt ar sviru
Lithuanian:	pakelti, pajudinti (su svirtimi, sverto principu)
Norwegian:	jekke, vippe
Polish:	podważyć
Portuguese (Brazil):	mover com alavanca
Portuguese (Portugal):	levantar
Romanian:	a ridica printr‑un sistem de pârghii
Russian:	поднимать, передвигать с помощью рычага
Slovak:	podvážiť
Slovenian:	uporabiti vzvod
Spanish:	sacar, *quitar con una palanca
Swedish:	bända, baxa
Turkish:	kaldıraç ile oynatmak

See also: leverage

The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

lever Audio Help (lěv'ər) Pronunciation Key
A simple machine consisting of a bar that pivots on a fixed support, or fulcrum, and is used to transmit torque. A force applied by pushing down on one end of the lever results in a force pushing up at the other end. If the fulcrum is not positioned in the middle of the lever, then the force applied to one end will not yield the same force on the other, since the torque must be the same on either side of the fulcrum. Levers, like gears, can thus be used to increase the force available from a mechanical power source. See more at fulcrum, See also mechanical advantage.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Lever

Leav"en\, n. [OE. levain, levein, F. levain, L. levamen alleviation, mitigation; but taken in the sense of, a raising, that which raises, fr. levare to raise. See Lever, n.]

1. Any substance that produces, or is designed to produce, fermentation, as in dough or liquids; esp., a portion of fermenting dough, which, mixed with a larger quantity of dough, produces a general change in the mass, and renders it light; yeast; barm.

2. Anything which makes a general assimilating (especially a corrupting) change in the mass.

Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. --Luke xii. 1.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Lever

Lee\, n.; pl. Lees (l[=e]z). [F. lie, perh. fr. L. levare to lift up, raise. Cf. Lever.] That which settles at the bottom, as of a cask of liquor (esp. wine); sediment; dregs; -- used now only in the plural. [Lees occurs also as a form of the singular.] "The lees of wine." --Holland.

A thousand demons lurk within the lee. --Young.

The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees Is left this vault to brag of. --Shak.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Lever

Le*vant"\ (l[-e]*v[a^]nt"), n. [It. levante the point where the sun rises, the east, the Levant, fr. levare to raise, levarsi to rise: cf. F. levant. See Lever.]

1. The countries washed by the eastern part of the Mediterranean and its contiguous waters.

2. A levanter (the wind so called).

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