foot lever
- noun
:
palanca de pie
- He pressed the foot lever to raise the platform.
Examples
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The sewing machine's foot lever allows for hands-free operation.
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The machine operates with a foot lever.
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The old printing press required the operator to use a foot lever to start the process.
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Can you show me how the foot lever works?
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To start the machine, she pressed the foot lever with her foot.
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The foot lever made it easy to control the hydraulic press hands-free.
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He adjusted the settings by operating the foot lever while keeping his hands free.
Synonyms
91
1.8
A lever you press with your foot to control a machine like a car or bike
2
3.2
A thing you press with your foot to control a machine like a car or sewing machine
2
9.3
A lever operated by the foot that drives a machine like a sewing machine or loom
How Heavy-Duty
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a lever designed to be operated by the foot' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'foot' (the body part used for standing/operating with the foot) and 'lever' (a bar that pivots to operate machinery). This noun–noun instrumental composition is common and predictable across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Foot lever comes from the simple picture of a lever you push with your foot, like a pedal that moves part of a machine. That's why it means 'a lever operated by the foot' and lets you control a device without using your hands.