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Definition of pedal - 8 dictionary results
ped⋅al
[ped-l or, for 6–8, peed-l]
noun, verb, -aled, -al⋅ing or (especially British
) -alled, -al⋅ling, adjective –noun
| 1. | a foot-operated lever used to control certain mechanisms, as automobiles, or to play or modify the sounds of certain musical instruments, as pianos, organs, or harps. |
| 2. | a leverlike part worked by the foot to supply power in various mechanisms, as the bicycle. |
| 3. | Music.
|
–verb (used without object)
| 4. | to work or use the pedals, as in playing an organ or propelling a bicycle. |
–verb (used with object)
| 5. | to work the pedals of (an organ, bicycle, etc.). |
–adjective
| 6. | of or pertaining to a foot or the feet. |
| 7. | of or pertaining to a pedal or pedals. |
| 8. | using pedals: a pedal mechanism. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To pedal
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Pedal
Pe"dal\, a. [L. pedalis, fr. pes, pedis, foot. See Foot, and cf. Pew.]1. Of or pertaining to the foot, or to feet, literally or figuratively; specifically (Zo["o]l.), pertaining to the foot of a mollusk; as, the pedal ganglion. 2. Of or pertaining to a pedal; having pedals. Pedal curve or 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
Pe"dal\, n. [Cf. F. p['e]dale, It. pedale. See Pedal, a.]1. (Mech.) 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. 2. (Geom.) A pedal curve or surface.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : pedal
Spanish:
pedal,
German:
das Pedal,
Japanese:
ペダル
pedal
1611, "lever (on an organ) worked by foot," from Fr. pédale, from It. pedale "treadle, pedal," from L.L. pedale "(thing) of the foot," neut. of L. pedalis "of the foot," from pes (gen. pedis) "foot" (see foot). Extended to various mechanical contrivances by 1789. The verb is from the noun; 1866 of organs, 1888 of bicycles. Pedal-pushers "type of women's trousers suitable for bicycling" is from 1944.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: ped·al
Pronunciation: 'ped-&l also 'pEd-
Function: adjective
: of or relating to the foot
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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pedal ped·al (pěd'l, pēd'l)
adj.
Of or relating to a foot or footlike part.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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pedal
see soft pedal.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.

