What does "lever" mean?
A rigid piece which is capable of turning about one point, or axis (fulcrum), and in which are two or more other points where forces are applied; — used for transmitting and modifying force and motion.
Lever
/ˈliː.və/ adv, name, noun, verb
adv, name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A rigid piece which is capable of turning about one point, or axis (fulcrum), and in which are two or more other points where forces are applied; — used for transmitting and modifying force and motion.
- Grammar: lever is listed as adv, name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: agent, amplify force, ancilla, appliance.
- Usage evidence: The screw, the lever, the wedge, the pulley, etc. are called simple machines.
How to use "lever"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lever" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lever" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "lever" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lever" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "lever" is acting as adv, name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "agent" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "lever", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A rigid piece which is capable of turning about one point, or axis (fulcrum), and in which are two or more other points where forces are applied; — used for transmitting and modifying force and motion.
- 2 A levee. rare
"We do not appear at Phœbus's Levér."
- 3 a rigid bar pivoted about a fulcrum wordnet
- 4 A rigid piece which is capable of turning about one point, or axis (fulcrum), and in which are two or more other points where forces are applied; — used for transmitting and modifying force and motion.; Specifically, a bar of metal, wood or other rigid substance, used to exert a pressure, or sustain a weight, at one point of its length, by receiving a force or power at a second, and turning at a third on a fixed point called a fulcrum. It is usually named as the first of the six mechanical powers, and is of three kinds, according as either the fulcrum F, the weight W, or the power P, respectively, is situated between the other two, as in the figures.
"Retractable steps and handrails are provided on each side of the cars. The steps, which are under the control of the guard, are operated by hand levers in the entrance vestibule."
- 5 a flat metal tumbler in a lever lock wordnet
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 A small such piece to trigger or control a mechanical device (like a switch or a button).
- 7 a simple machine that gives a mechanical advantage when given a fulcrum wordnet
- 8 A bar, as a capstan bar, applied to a rotatory piece to turn it.
"A doorknob of whatever roundish shape is effectively a continuum of levers, with the axis of the latching mechanism—known as the spindle—being the fulcrum about which the turning takes place."
- 9 An arm on a rock shaft, to give motion to the shaft or to obtain motion from it.
- 10 A crowbar. obsolete
"My lord, I brained him with a lever my neighbour lent me, and he stood by and cried, ‘Strike home, old boy!’"
Verb
- 1 To move with a lever. transitive
"With great effort and a big crowbar I managed to lever the beam off the floor."
- 2 to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open wordnet
- 3 To use, operate or move (something) like a lever (physically). figuratively, transitive
"Sullen now, with stultified spleen, Mrs Dibble grappled her crutches and levered herself upright after an ungainly struggle."
- 4 To use (something) like a lever (in an abstract sense). figuratively, transitive
"He was a man who levered his way from small-time communist hack to political power by tapping into the most potent vein of historical juice in the Balkans: nationalism."
- 5 To increase the share of debt in the capitalization of a business. UK
""The equity holders want you to 'lever up,' use as much debt as you can," said David Stanley, chairman of Kansas City-based Payless Cashways,"
Adverb
- 1 Rather. not-comparable, obsolete
"Now therfore take my life from me / for I had leuer dye then liue."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Example
"The screw, the lever, the wedge, the pulley, etc. are called simple machines."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lever"?
Common synonyms include: agent, amplify force, ancilla, appliance, bar, beam.
How do you use "lever" in a sentence?
The screw, the lever, the wedge, the pulley, etc. are called simple machines.
How do you pronounce "lever"?
Pronounced /ˈliː.və/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English lever, levore, levour, from Old French leveor, leveur (“a lifter, lever (also Old French and French levier)”), from Latin levātor (“a lifter”), from levō (“to raise”). Doublet of levator.
Etymology 2
From Middle English lever, comparative of leve, leef (“dear, beloved, lief”), equivalent to lief + -er. Related to German lieber (“rather”).
Etymology 3
Borrowed from French lever.