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Bicycle

Transport
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A two-wheeled vehicle powered by pedals, often associated with freedom and balance.

Detailed Definition
In poetry, the bicycle can symbolize youthful independence, bodily motion, and the fragile equilibrium of ordinary life. Its wheels, spokes, and turning chain offer vivid mechanical music, while its rider moves exposed to weather, streets, and chance. A bicycle may carry a speaker through a remembered neighborhood or away from confinement. Because it requires continual balance, it can also figure emotional resilience or the effort of growing up.
Example
Example in poetry:
William Carlos Williams’s “To a Poor Old Woman” uses ordinary movement and street life in a way that can inspire bicycle imagery; “Her bicycle bell rang through the blue dusk” uses sound to make the scene immediate; A poet might write, “I pedaled uphill against the wind of years,” turning a bicycle journey into a metaphor for endurance; “Two bicycles leaned together outside the café” can suggest companionship without directly stating it
Additional Notes
The bicycle can represent independence, youthful freedom, balance, or human-powered travel. Its motion may also suggest a journey requiring steady effort.
Also Known As
Bike Velocipede
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