- pronunciation:
- le
v
r
[or]
li
vr
- features:
- Word History, Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
a basic tool used to lift or pry things open. A crowbar is one type of lever.
They used a lever to lift the heavy rock. |
| definition 2: |
a handle used to control or set the position of a part in a machine.
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| related words: |
bar, control, hammer, key |
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| derivation: |
leverlike (adj.) |
Lever comes from
levare, a Latin word that means "to raise," which comes from
levis, which means "light in weight." The simple machine we call a "lever" allows us to lift a heavy weight as easily as we could a much lighter one.