The wheel appeared more than three thousand years ago. The lever has been known since prehistoric times. I think the pedal is not much younger than them. But the "invention of the bicycle" - entertainment is relevant today. This is the name of inventing original moves at a time when under the nose there is a repeatedly tested and trustworthy solution.
Let's not stay away from the research fad and focus on the meaning of the word "pedal". Let us emphasize, so to speak, the extraordinary importance of this question. That is, as the Dictionary of Many Expressions tells us, pedal it.
Ancient Roman slang
It is clear that the noun "pedal" appeared earlier than the single-root verb. Back to the origins.
What the ancient Latins called pedāle (that is, "shoe") their descendants converted into pedale. And already from French this “pedal” passedinto our language. But you can't put it on your foot. And the meaning of the word "pedal" is not to flaunt in shoes.
The history of the language made a funny turn here. Today's youth in slang calls shoes pedals, hardly trying to be like the ancients.
Young people use the same word to call the legs themselves and, they say, even “mobile phones”, which is quite understandable in the further text, because the pedal transmits.
Let's get behind the wheel
Now the pedal is called the lever that vehicles are equipped with:
- plane;
- car;
- tram;
- motorcycle;
- moped.
They are all pedal controlled. And the bike is generally set in motion with their help. Thus, everyone who presses their feet on the levers pedals so that they send a control signal to certain systems or units.
The signal is transmitted in several ways:
- mechanical;
- hydraulic;
- electric.
In this case, the meaning of the word "pedal" is:
- pedaling;
- use them;
- govern with their help.
Usage examples:
- On the uphill, cyclists pedal with all their might.
- The motorcyclist pedaled in time and the collision was avoided.
- Skillful pedaling in an airplane allows you to correctly control the rudder.
Spin, sew or play music - it's all one to pedal
In the old days, the pedal helped women work on the spinning wheel, later it was equipped with sewing machines.
Some musical instruments also have pedals.
| Tool | Pedal function |
| Piano | help to hold the sound, weaken it |
| Harp | needed for chromatic transitions |
| Drum set | special bass drum, cymbal, hi-hat pedals |
| Organ | Keyboard for kicking |
Pedalize (or pedal), the meaning of these words in this context is: to use the pedal of a musical instrument when playing:
- The performer could not pedal at all, as her legs were in a cast.
- I witnessed this illustrious organist pedaling with abandon.
Pedal what is right for the moment
In a figurative sense, used more often in colloquial speech than in book speech, to pedal means:
- accent;
- bulge;
- dynamize;
- specially celebrate;
- point;
- strengthen;
- bring to the fore;
- underline;
- emphasis;
- accelerate.
Usage examples:
- Each pedaled their own interests, in the end no general decision was made.
- I will pedal the decision to award you another title.
- The topic of tolerance is today especially pedaled by the media.
So, having figured out what the word "pedal" means, you can feel like an athlete or a racer, sitting at a musical instrument, and imagine yourself as a speaker in front of a huge audience while driving.
But it's better, of course, not to do either, but being in the "here and now", pedal the mood appropriate to the moment.
