Lever

[ lee-ver ]
/ ˈli vər /

noun

Charles JamesCornelius O'Dowd,1806–72, Irish novelist and essayist.

British Dictionary definitions for charles lever

lever
/ (ˈliːvə) /

noun

a rigid bar pivoted about a fulcrum, used to transfer a force to a load and usually to provide a mechanical advantage
any of a number of mechanical devices employing this principle
a means of exerting pressure in order to accomplish something; strategic aid

verb

to prise or move (an object) with a lever

Derived forms of lever

lever-like, adjective

Word Origin for lever

C13: from Old French leveour, from lever to raise, from Latin levāre, from levis light

Scientific definitions for charles lever

lever
[ lĕv′ər ]

A simple machine consisting of a bar that pivots on a fixed support, or fulcrum, and is used to transmit torque. A force applied by pushing down on one end of the lever results in a force pushing up at the other end. If the fulcrum is not positioned in the middle of the lever, then the force applied to one end will not yield the same force on the other, since the torque must be the same on either side of the fulcrum. Levers, like gears, can thus be used to increase the force available from a mechanical power source. See more at fulcrum. See also mechanical advantage.