bicycle

noun

1. 1

   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.

   In most English villages, as we are informed, bicycles are not allowed on the sidewalks; and the hand-books issued by English manufacturers of bicycles caution their customers that it is a forbidden practice, while in many places bells have to be attached to the bicycles even when ridden in the streets.

2. 2

   Any similar vehicle powered by human pedaling or steered with a handlebar, regardless of the number of wheels.

   The small, three-wheeled bicycle-type vehicle is probably the lowest-cost set of wheels for routine, in-park patrol use.

3. 3

   A traveling block used on a cable in skidding logs.

4. 4

   The best possible hand in lowball.

5. 5

   A motorbike.

6. 6

   slangA slut; a promiscuous woman.

   ‘What sort of bullying does this sergeant go in for?’ ‘Character assassination,’ she said in a matter-of-fact tone that belied the very real difficulties it was causing her. ‘There’s a lot of whispering about slags and tarts behind my back and sniggers whenever I appear. Half of the men seem to think I’m a dyke who needs curing, the other half think I’m the platoon bicycle. [...]’

7. 7

   A stabilizing technique in which one foot is pushed down while the other is pulled up.

8. 8

   slangThe wheel: either the lowest straight (A-2-3-4-5) or the best low hand in Lowball or High-low poker.

9. 9

   A bicyclic molecule.

10. 10

    Two interconnected metabolic cycles.

    The fumarate produced in the argininosuccinase reaction is also an intermediate of the citric acid cycle. Thus, the cycles are, in principle, interconnected — in a process dubbed the “Krebs bicycle”.

verb

1. 1

   To travel or exercise using a bicycle.

   “At least it cannot be your health," said he, as his keen eyes darted over her; "so ardent a bicyclist must be full of energy.” […] “Yes, I bicycle a good deal, Mr. Holmes, and that has something to do with my visit to you to-day.”

2. 2

   historicalTo physically ship (a recorded programme) to another broadcasting entity.

   “Bicycling” defeated the possibility of topicality, a prime production habit of the network-trained production executives staffing the new entity.

   In turn, two-inch tapes of these could be “bicycled” from one place to another across the country, thereby altering and improving production economies.

Forms

plural

bicycles

past tense

bicycled

past participle

bicycled

present participle

bicycling

third person singular

bicycles