pedal
pedal — noun
1. a foot control on a bike, car, or other machine that you press to make it do som
a foot control on a bike, car, or other machine that you press to make it do something
Mia pushed the brake pedal when the dog ran into the road.
collocation: brake pedal
On his first lesson, Leo missed the clutch pedal twice.
collocation: clutch pedal
The nurse stepped on the pedal to raise the hospital bed.
step on the pedal
A loose pedal stopped the sewing machine during Grandma's repairs.
- brake pedal
- clutch pedal
- gas pedal
- step on the pedal
- take your foot off the pedal
- foot pedal
a fuller phrase that makes the foot-operated meaning explicit
- treadle
older or more mechanical; common for sewing machines and similar devices
- lever
broader word for a moving control part, not always pressed by the foot
Grammar Patterns
press the pedal
step on the pedal
brake pedal / clutch pedal / gas pedal
Usage Note
Common with type words such as brake, clutch, gas, or foot. Distinguish from noun/2, which is only for pedals on keyboard instruments.
Common Mistakes
2. a bar below the keyboard on instruments like pianos and organs, used to change t
a bar below the keyboard on instruments like pianos and organs, used to change the sound
Ella held the right pedal during the last note of the song.
collocation: right pedal
The piano teacher told Sam not to hit the left pedal too soon.
collocation: left pedal
During church practice, the organ pedal made the final chord fuller.
organ pedal
One broken pedal left the old piano sounding dry and short.
- right pedal
- left pedal
- sustain pedal
- organ pedal
- hold the pedal down
- foot control
broad term for a part worked by the foot, without naming the instrument
- sustain pedal
one common piano pedal; narrower than the general sense here
- soft pedal
another specific piano pedal with a softer effect, not the whole set
Grammar Patterns
press the pedal
hold the pedal down
right pedal / left pedal / sustain pedal
Usage Note
Usually appears in piano or organ contexts and often with type words such as right, left, soft, or sustain. Distinguish from noun/1, which is a more general machine part.
Common Mistakes
To go as fast as possible or to work with maximum effort.
Maya put the pedal to the metal and finished the report in two hours.
Can you put the pedal to the metal so we arrive before dark?
pedal — adjective
1. worked by pressing one or more pedals with your feet
worked by pressing one or more pedals with your feet
The Chen family bought a pedal bin after the kitchen trash can lid broke.
collocation: pedal bin
The museum displayed a pedal sewing machine beside the newer electric model.
collocation: pedal sewing machine
A pedal boat moved slowly across the lake with two children inside.
collocation: pedal boat
Her pedal trash can opened quietly during the baby's nap.
- pedal bin
- pedal boat
- pedal sewing machine
- pedal trash can
- foot-operated
the clearest near-equivalent in everyday English
- pedal-powered
stresses that movement or energy comes from pedaling
- pedal-driven
common for machines or vehicles moved by pedals
- hand-operated
worked by the hand instead of the foot
- motorized
worked by an engine or motor instead of pedals
Grammar Patterns
pedal bin
pedal boat
pedal sewing machine
Usage Note
Usually comes before the name of a thing, especially a bin, boat, or machine worked by the foot rather than by hand or motor.
Common Mistakes
pedal — verb
1. to move a bicycle forward by turning its pedals with your feet
to move a bicycle forward by turning its pedals with your feet
Rosa pedaled home before the evening rain started.
pedal + direction
Two boys pedaled slowly up the hill beside the rice fields.
pedal + adverb + path
After lunch, Maya pedaled across town to return the library books.
On icy streets, even experienced riders pedal carefully near the market.
- pedal home
- pedal uphill
- pedal fast
- pedal carefully
- pedal across town
- coast
for a bicycle moving without active pedaling
Grammar Patterns
pedal home
pedal up a hill
pedal along the road
Usage Note
Usually intransitive and often followed by words showing direction, distance, or speed. Distinguish from verb/2, which is about pressing piano or organ pedals while playing.
Common Mistakes
2. to press the pedals of a piano or organ while you play so the sound changes
to press the pedals of a piano or organ while you play so the sound changes
During the slow song, Nina pedaled lightly under the final chords.
pedal + adverb
The organist pedaled through the hymn while the choir held one note.
organ context
At rehearsal, Ben pedaled too much and blurred the piano sound.
pedal too much
The teacher asked Clara to pedal only at the end.
- pedal lightly
- pedal too much
- pedal at the end
- pedal through the hymn
- use the pedals
plain explanatory phrase without the short musical verb
- work the pedals
stresses the physical action of controlling them
Grammar Patterns
pedal lightly
pedal too much
pedal at the end
Usage Note
Mostly intransitive and usually appears with piano or organ words nearby. It is often modified by lightly, too much, or a phrase such as at the end.
Common Mistakes
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
For verb/1, 'pedal' highlights the foot action that makes the bicycle move. 'Cycle' is a neutral everyday verb and can sound a little more formal in notices or news. 'Bike' is more informal and common in speech, especially in North America. 'Ride' is the broadest word because you can ride a bike, a bus, or a horse, so it does not always focus on turning the pedals. If you want the physical effort to stand out, 'pedal' is the best choice. You can say, 'Maya pedaled up the hill,' but 'We rode to school' sounds more natural when the exact leg action is not important.
Etymology
'Pedal' comes from a Latin root meaning 'foot'. In English, it first described something connected with the foot, and later it was used for parts worked by the foot and for the action of using those parts.