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Glite Dictionary
😎 To live carelessly ⚙️ A bike part 🚴 To coast
to freewheel

to freewheel

6.3
To coast on a bicycle without pedaling
  • verb
  • /ˈfriːˌwiːl/
translation icon : rodar

Examples

  • The wheels are just on bearings so they can freewheel.

    Blog text (21)

  • After stopping at the top of the hill, I let my bicycle freewheel down without pedaling.

  • When descending steep slopes, cyclists often prefer to freewheel instead of pedaling to conserve energy.

  • On the flat trail, I could easily freewheel along, enjoying the fresh air and scenery.

Antonyms

to pedal
18 2.3

To move a bicycle by pushing the foot levers that turn the wheels

Phrasal Verbs

to freewheel through
  • Informal
7.9

Go through something without much planning or control

How Powered

drive
372 1.0
to pedal
18 2.3
to roll
∞ 1.0
to freewheel
6.3
to coast
26 2.5

Surface Forms

freewheel infinitive
freewheeled past
freewheeled past participle
freewheeling present participle
freewheels third person singular

Morphology

freewheel = free + wheel (transparent) = free + wheel

Clear compound of 'free' + 'wheel' meaning a wheel that turns freely; the mechanical sense follows directly from the components.

Etymology

Freewheel comes from the parts free and wheel. It names a wheel that turns 'freely' when you do not pedal, so to freewheel on a bike is to coast without using power.