lever

Pronunciation

• (Canada) IPA ^(key): /ˈliː.vɚ/
• (UK) IPA ^(key): /ˈliː.və/

  Audio (UK)

  (file)

  Hyphenation: le‧ver

• (US) IPA ^(key): /ˈlɛ.vɚ/

  Audio (US)

  (file)

  Hyphenation: le‧ver, lev‧er

• Homophone: leaver

Noun

Singular lever

Plural levers

How a lever works

1. (countable) A lever is a simple tool, a bar resting on a fixed point. If one end of the bar is pushed, the force is used at the other end.

   A see-saw in a children's' playground is a simple lever.

2. (countable) A lever is a long handle used to operate a machine.

   The signalman pulled on the lever to change the railway signals.

3. Lever is to use something to do something else.

   He used his charm as a lever to get past the guards at the gate.

Verb

Plain form lever

Third-person singular levers

Past tense levered

Past participle levered

Present participle levering

1. (transitive) To lever is to move or lift something with lever.

   She used a long pole to lever the large rock out of the way.

Related words

• leverage