wheelie
/ˈ(h)wili/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.69 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An action or stunt where a bicycle, motorcycle, or other vehicle is ridden for a short period while it is standing only on its rear wheel or wheels.
Informal
Example Sentences
- "Jim fell off his bike when he was trying to do a wheelie."
- "With them [bicycles], children can accomplish such unique and delightfully dangerous stunts as “wheelies”—that is, riding at a fast speed with the machine's front wheel raised completely above the ground."
- "Bikes are pointing their noses in the air nowadays with the help of a new gadget called the Wheelie-Bar. By attaching the device to the rear of your cycle, you can tilt back on the hind wheel; wooden skate rollers at the end of the bar let you ride high, the way stock-car dragsters do."
- "In keeping with his overall emphasis on skill, [Doug] Domokos says his most difficult trick is one he performs on solid ground. During the show, you'll see him pull up the front wheel of his ATV [all-terrain vehicle], then step over the handlebars and continue the wheelie while seated on the headlight."
- "I learned how to let the clutch out slo-ow-ly so my tractor wouldn't pop a wheely and go hauling over backward."
- "The bikers pop wheelies and execute speedy figure eights along the busy street. Still, something more purposeful than joyriding would seem to be on their minds."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kʷelh₁-redup. Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *kʷekʷléh₂ Proto-Germanic *hweulō Old English hwēol Middle English whel English wheel English -ie English wheelie From wheel + -ie.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈ(h)wili/
- British English: /ˈ(h)wiːli/
Usage
Inflected Forms
wheelies (plural)
wheely (alternative)
wheelies (present, singular)
wheelieing (participle, present)
wheelying (participle, present)
wheelied (participle, past)
wheelied (past)
wheelier (comparative)
more wheelie (comparative)
wheeliest (superlative)
most wheelie (superlative)