lever
gb/lˈɛvɚ/ us/lˈɛvɚ/
B1
Engleză
~ 9600
Sensuri
0 sensuri
Substantiv
B1
entity
1
bar or handle for control
A strong bar or handle that you move to make a machine work, or to lift or move something heavy.
Tipar de utilizare:
to pull [a] lever to operate [something]
Greșeală frecventă:
Learners sometimes confuse "lever" with "level" because of similar spelling and sound. "Lever" is a bar or handle you move; "level" usually means flat or at the same height. Learners may also say "button" when the control is actually a lever that you push or pull rather than press.
Sinonime
handle (General word for a part held or moved by hand; not all handles act as levers in the mechanical sense.)
|
bar (Emphasizes the long, straight shape; does not itself mean the bar is used to control or lift something.)
Antonime
button (A small control you press, rather than a bar or handle you move.)
Colocații
pull the lever
|gear lever
|slot machine lever
|brake lever
|operate the lever
|lever arm
Teme
technology
|science
|daily life
Exemple
- Pull the lever to start the machine.
- She pushed the lever forward and the seat slid back.
- The mechanic used a long metal lever to lift the engine slightly.
- He grabbed the brake lever on the handlebar and the bike stopped quickly.
- A simple see-saw is an example of a lever with a pivot in the middle.
Exemple pentru cursanți
- Pull the lever to open the door.
- He moved the lever and the car went into reverse.
- The worker used a long lever to lift the heavy box.
- Push the lever down to turn the machine off.
- This tool works like a lever to open the lid.
Substantiv
formal
B2
entity
2
means of influence or pressure
Something you can use to make people do what you want or to bring change.
Tipar de utilizare:
to use [something] as a lever to [do something]
Greșeală frecventă:
Learners often use "lever" when "leverage" is more natural, saying things like *"We have a lot of levers"* instead of *"We have a lot of leverage"*. Use "lever" when you want to point to a specific tool or source of influence (for example, "tax policy is one lever"), and "leverage" for general advantage or influence.
Sinonime
leverage (More common in modern business English for influence or advantage; often uncountable where "lever" is countable.)
|
bargaining chip (Informal; emphasizes something that can be traded or used in negotiation.)
|
instrument (More general and formal; a means by which a goal is achieved, not limited to pressure or power.)
Antonime
obstacle (Something that makes it harder, not easier, to influence a situation.)
Colocații
political lever
|economic lever
|use as a lever
|lever for change
|lever for reform
Teme
business
|politics
Exemple
- The government is using tax cuts as a lever to stimulate the economy.
- Access to key data can be a powerful lever in negotiations.
- They saw public opinion as the main lever for political change.
- The company used its control of the supply chain as a lever to win better terms.
- Sanctions were intended as a lever to bring the two sides back to the table.
Exemple pentru cursanți
- Money can be a strong lever in business talks.
- They used public support as a lever to change the law.
- The manager did not have any lever to push for higher pay.
- The threat of leaving gave her a lever in the discussion.
- He needed a new lever to make the company listen.
Verb
B2
action
3
move something using a lever
To move or lift something by pushing with a bar or tool, or by using strong force like a lever.
Tipar de utilizare:
[someone] levers [something] [open/up/off]
Greșeală frecventă:
Learners sometimes say *"open with force"* or *"push hard"* when a more precise verb like "lever" or "pry" is better, especially when using a tool. Also, do not confuse "lever" (to move with a bar or strong force) with "level" (to make flat or equal).
Sinonime
pry (Very close in meaning; common especially in American English for forcing something open with a tool.)
|
heave (Emphasizes effort in lifting or moving; does not suggest using a bar or pivot.)
Antonime
lower (Opposite direction of movement when you lever something up or raise it.)
Colocații
lever the lid off
|lever the door open
|lever it up
|lever the rock aside
Teme
daily life
|manual work
|technology
|work
Exemple
- He levered the lid off the paint can with a screwdriver.
- They managed to lever the heavy crate up onto the truck.
- She levered the window open a few inches to let in some air.
- Using a plank, we levered the rock out of the hole.
- The technician carefully levered the panel away from the wall.
Exemple pentru cursanți
- He levered the box up with a long bar.
- She levered the door open with a small tool.
- They levered the stone aside to reach the pipe.
- Use this metal bar to lever the wheel off.
- We levered the sofa up to put a rug under it.
Verb
formal
C1
action
4
force out using pressure
To make a person or thing leave a job, place, or situation by using pressure or power.
Tipar de utilizare:
[someone] levers [someone/something] out of [a position/situation]
Greșeală frecventă:
Learners may overuse the more common verb "leverage" and avoid this verb form, or they may say *"lever out him"* instead of the correct order "lever him out". Also, this sense is formal and often used in business or political writing, not in casual conversation.
Sinonime
oust (Common in political and business contexts; usually suggests removal from a position of power.)
|
push out (More informal; similar idea of forcing someone to leave.)
Antonime
install (Means to place someone into a position, the opposite of forcing them out.)
|
entrench (To make someone or something firmly established, not easily removed.)
Colocații
lever someone out of a job
|lever him out of office
|lever her into a new role
|lever the company out of trouble
Teme
business
|politics
Exemple
- The board finally levered the long‑serving CEO out of his position.
- Activist investors are trying to lever the company out of its current strategy.
- She was quietly levered into a more senior role after the reorganization.
- They used the threat of legal action to lever him out of the partnership.
- Rising public anger helped lever the minister out of office.
Exemple pentru cursanți
- The new boss slowly levered the old manager out of the team.
- Shareholders tried to lever the director out of his job.
- They used the bad results to lever him out of the company.
- The crisis levered her into a more powerful role.
- Public pressure levered the leader out of office.
Gramatică
Forma de dicționar
lever
IPA
GB/lˈɛvɚ/
US/lˈɛvɚ/
Silabe și accent
lever (1 silabă)
Stress on 1st syllable (lever)
Forme ale cuvântului
Noun
- Base: lever
- Plural: levers
Verb
- Base: lever
- 3rd Person Singular: levers
- Present Participle: levering
- Past: levered
Familie de cuvinte
Forms
levers
noun
levering
verb
levered
verb
Related words
leverage
noun B2
Expresii
gear lever
1/ɡˈɪɹ lˈɛvɚ/
fixed phrase
handle for changing gears in a vehicle
The handle in a car or other vehicle that you move to change the gear.
Exemple
- He reached for the gear lever and shifted into third.
- In some cars the gear lever is on the steering column.
- She struggled at first to find the gear lever in the new model.
lever arm
1/lˈɛvɚ ˈɑɹm/
fixed phrase
technical
distance from pivot to applied force
In physics, the space between the point where a lever turns and the point where you push or pull on it.
Exemple
- Increasing the lever arm makes it easier to lift the weight.
- The torque depends on both the force and the length of the lever arm.
- Students measured the lever arm to calculate the turning effect.
pull the lever
1/pˈʊl ðə lˈɛvɚ/
fixed phrase
operate something by pulling a lever
To pull a handle or bar so that a machine or device starts, stops, or changes what it is doing.
Exemple
- When the light turns green, pull the lever to start the ride.
- In this game you just pull the lever and see if you win.
- He pulled the lever and the trapdoor opened with a loud bang.
the levers of power
1/ðə lˈɛvɚz əv pˈaʊɚ/
fixed phrase
formal
mechanisms of political or organizational control
The important jobs, systems, or tools that let a person or group control a country or organization.
Exemple
- After the election, a new group took hold of the levers of power.
- The president controls the main levers of power in the country.
- Activists are trying to reach the levers of power inside the party.
use something as a lever
1/jˈuz sˈʌmθɪŋ ˈæz ə lˈɛvɚ/
fixed phrase
use something as influence or pressure
To use a thing, fact, or situation to put pressure on someone or to help you reach your goal.
Exemple
- They used the threat of moving production abroad as a lever to win tax breaks.
- She hoped to use the report as a lever for change inside the organization.
- The union is using public support as a lever in the pay talks.