bicycle

== English == === Etymology === Borrowed from French bicycle (modern bicyclette), from bi- (“two”) + cycle (“cycle”). By surface analysis, bi- +‎ cycle. First attested in English in 1868, and in French in 1847. (promiscuous woman): From double meaning of ride ("to transport oneself upon" vs. "to mount someone to have sex with them"). A communal bicycle would have many riders. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈbaɪsɪk(ə)l/ (Canada, idle-idol split) IPA(key): /ˈbʌɪsɪkəl/ (Indic) IPA(key): /baj.sajkɪl/ Hyphenation: bi‧cy‧cle === Noun === bicycle (plural bicycles) A vehicle that has two primary wheels, one behind the other, a steering handle, and a saddle seat or seats and is usually propelled by the action of a rider’s feet upon pedals. Synonyms: (clipping) bike, pushbike, two-wheeler, (historical) velocipede; see also Thesaurus:bicycle Hypernym: cycle (by extension, sometimes proscribed) Any similar vehicle powered by human pedaling or steered with a handlebar, regardless of the number of wheels. A traveling block used on a cable in skidding logs. The best possible hand in lowball. (British, Australia, New Zealand) A motorbike. (vulgar slang, usually in compounds specifying a context) A slut; a promiscuous woman. (climbing) A stabilizing technique in which one foot is pushed down while the other is pulled up. (poker slang) The wheel: either the lowest straight (A-2-3-4-5) or the best low hand in Lowball or High-low poker. (organic chemistry) A bicyclic molecule. (biochemistry) Two interconnected metabolic cycles. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== ==== Translations ==== === Verb === bicycle (third-person singular simple present bicycles, present participle bicycling, simple past and past participle bicycled) (ambitransitive) To travel or exercise using a bicycle. (television, historical, transitive) To physically ship (a recorded programme) to another broadcasting entity. ==== Translations ==== == French == === Alternative forms === bécik, bécike, bécyque === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /bi.sikl/ === Noun === bicycle m (plural bicycles) bicycle Synonym: bicyclette ==== Derived terms ==== bicyclette ==== Descendants ==== → English: bicycle → Polish: bicykl === Further reading === “bicycle”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012