bicycle

plural bicycles

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.

   1 more example

   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.

   1882, “Principle in Small Things”, in Popular Science Monthly, volume 22, page 274

   Synonyms: bike, pushbike, two-wheeler, velocipede

2. broadlyproscribedsometimesAny 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.

   1980, United States. National Park Service, Trends, page 40

3. A traveling block used on a cable in skidding logs.
4. The best possible hand in lowball.
5. AustraliaNew ZealandUKA motorbike.
6. slangvulgarusually in compounds specifying a contextA slut; a promiscuous woman.

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   ‘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. [...]’

   2002, Minette Walters, Fox Evil, Macmillan, pages 162–3

   Synonyms: town bicycle, village bicycle

7. climbingA stabilizing technique in which one foot is pushed down while the other is pulled up.
8. slangcard gamesThe wheel: either the lowest straight (A-2-3-4-5) or the best low hand in Lowball or High-low poker.
9. chemistryA bicyclic molecule.
10. biochemistryTwo 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”.

    2021, David L. Nelson, Michael M. Cox, Aaron A. Hoskins, Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry, Macmillan Learning, page 636

present singular third person bicycles · participle present bicycling · participle past bicycled · past bicycled

1. ambitransitiveTo 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.”

   1903 December 26, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist”, in The Return of Sherlock Holmes, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co., published February 1905, →OCLC

2. historicaltransitivebroadcastingTo 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.

   2002, Roger Phillips Smith, The Other Face of Public Television, page 56

   1 more example

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

   2014, Horace Newcomb, Encyclopedia of Television, page 177