Pedalling/peddling

Posted by ESC on July 02, 2003

In Reply to: How is "peddling"? then how is "hard-peddling"? posted by Word Camel on July 02, 2003

: Tour de France is the longest and the most scenic cycle race in the world. Along the way, hard-peddling cyclists pass through fashionable cities, peaceful countryside, fruitful vineyards and along breezy coastlines.

: Peddling is the way the feet work to make the bicycle move. When the passage you gave describes the cyclists here as "hard-peddling", it means in effect that they are moving very fast or "peddling hard". This would make sense since the Tour de France is race.

From Merriam-Webster online:

Main Entry: 3ped·al
Pronunciation: 'pe-d&l
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): ped·aled also ped·alled; ped·al·ing also ped·al·ling /'pe-d&l-i[ng], 'ped-li[ng]/
Date: 1888
intransitive senses
1 : to ride a bicycle
2 : to use or work a pedal

Main Entry: ped·dle
Pronunciation: 'pe-d&l
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): ped·dled; ped·dling /'ped-li[ng], 'pe-d&l-i[ng]/
Etymology: back-formation from peddler, from Middle English pedlere
Date: 1532
intransitive senses
1 : to travel about with wares for sale; broadly : SELL
2 : to be busy with trifles : PIDDLE
transitive senses
1 : to sell or offer for sale from place to place : HAWK; broadly : SELL
2 : to deal out or seek to disseminate

• Thank goodness for you ESC! Word Camel 07/02/03
  • Thank goodness for you ESC! sphinx 07/03/03
    • Re; Pedaling R. Berg 07/03/03
    • Thank goodness for you ESC! Barney 07/03/03
      • It should be "pedalling" Word Camel 07/03/03