pedal
ped‧al1 /ˈpedl/ 
noun [countable]
1. (also bicycle pedal) one of the two parts of a bicycle that you push round with your feet to make the bicycle go forward
2. a part in a car or on a machine that you press with your foot to control it:
She put her foot down on the accelerator pedal.
3. a part on a piano or organ that you press with your foot to change the quality of the sound
4. put/press/push the pedal to the metal American English
a. to drive a car, truck etc very fast
b. to work harder or faster, especially so that you can win a game
pedal2 verb (past tense and past participle pedalled, present participle pedalling British English, pedaled, pedaling American English) [intransitive and transitive]
1. [always + adverb/preposition] to ride a bicycle ⇨ cycle, ride
pedal up/along/down etc
Andrew pedalled up the road towards the town centre.
2. to turn or push the pedals on a bicycle or other machine with your feet:
She was pedalling furiously (=very fast).
| I |
noun [countable] Date: 1600-1700
Language: French
Origin: pedale, from Italian, from Latin pedalis 'of the foot'
Language: French
Origin: pedale, from Italian, from Latin pedalis 'of the foot'
1. (also bicycle pedal) one of the two parts of a bicycle that you push round with your feet to make the bicycle go forward
2. a part in a car or on a machine that you press with your foot to control it:
3. a part on a piano or organ that you press with your foot to change the quality of the sound
4. put/press/push the pedal to the metal American English
a. to drive a car, truck etc very fast
b. to work harder or faster, especially so that you can win a game
| II |
verb (past tense and past participle pedalled, present participle pedalling British English, pedaled, pedaling American English) [intransitive and transitive]1. [always + adverb/preposition] to ride a bicycle ⇨ cycle, ride
pedal up/along/down etc
2. to turn or push the pedals on a bicycle or other machine with your feet: