bicycle

bicycle

I. bi‧cy‧cle¹ W3 /ˈbaɪsɪkəl/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: bi- + -cycle (as in tricycle)]

a vehicle with two wheels that you ride by pushing its ↑pedals with your feet SYN bike:
Can James ride a bicycle yet? ⇨ ↑exercise bike
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In everyday English, people usually say bike rather than bicycle:
▪ They go everywhere by bike.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ ride a bicycle Riding a bicycle is very good exercise.
▪ get on/off a bicycle I got on my bicycle and cycled over to Rob’s house.
▪ push/wheel a bicycle (=walk beside it pushing it) She was wheeling her bicycle and talking to some friends.
■ bicycle + NOUN
▪ a bicycle shop (also bicycle store American English) His dream was to own a bicycle shop.
▪ a bicycle ride They went for a 50 km bicycle ride.
▪ a bicycle wheel/tyre My front bicycle tyre is flat.
▪ a bicycle pump (=for putting more air in a tyre) Where’s the bicycle pump?
▪ a bicycle helmet It’s safer to wear a bicycle helmet.
▪ a bicycle shed (=place for keeping bicycles in) He built a bicycle shed in the back yard.
II. bicycle² BrE AmE verb [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]
formal to go somewhere by bicycle SYN bike, cycle
—bicyclist noun [countable]