wheelie

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/ˈwiː.li/
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A stunt in which a rider lifts the front wheel and balances on the rear wheel, and the verb for doing that stunt.

Examples

  • Kids cheered when he landed the wheelie cleanly.
  • She can wheelie for several seconds on a mountain bike.
  • He wheelied down the hill before tapping the brake.
  • The motorcyclist pulled a long wheelie past the crowd.
  • The scooter tipped back into a brief wheelie.

Similar words

stunt
bike trick
balance
stunt
rear-wheel balance
trick
pull a wheelie
ride on the rear wheel

Meanings

Rear-wheel riding stunt

noun
sport
neutral
A stunt in which the front wheel of a bicycle, motorcycle, scooter, or similar vehicle is lifted while the vehicle balances on the rear wheel or wheels.

Usage

Use wheelie for the stunt itself, usually with verbs such as do, pull, hold, land, or perform.

Examples

  • The rider held a wheelie across the parking lot.
  • She practiced wheelies on her BMX bike after school.
  • The motorcyclist pulled a long wheelie past the crowd.
  • A good wheelie takes balance, throttle control, and space.
  • Kids cheered when he landed the wheelie cleanly.
  • The scooter tipped back into a brief wheelie.

Common mistakes

Wheelie names the stunt, while wheel names the round part of a vehicle.
IncorrectCorrect
He performed a wheelies during the race. He performed a wheelie during the race.
The car's wheelie was damaged. The car's wheel was damaged.
She did a wheel on her bike. She did a wheelie on her bike.
A wheelie is any bicycle ride. A wheelie is a stunt with the front wheel lifted.

Similar words

Ride with the front wheel lifted

verb
sport
neutral
To ride a bicycle, motorcycle, scooter, or similar vehicle with its front wheel lifted off the ground.

Usage

Use wheelie as a verb for doing the stunt, with forms such as wheelies, wheelied, and wheelieing.

Examples

  • He wheelied down the hill before tapping the brake.
  • She can wheelie for several seconds on a mountain bike.
  • The rider wheelies past the camera in the video.
  • I tried to wheelie, but the front wheel dropped at once.
  • They were wheelieing in the empty lot.
  • The stunt rider wheelied across the finish line.

Common mistakes

Wheelie as a verb takes regular endings, but the spelling keeps the ie before ing.
IncorrectCorrect
He wheelie the bike every morning. He wheelies the bike every morning.
She wheelieded down the road. She wheelied down the road.
They are wheeling now. They are wheelieing now.
I wheelie my car to the office. I drive my car to the office.

Similar words

Usage

Use wheelie for bicycle, motorcycle, scooter, and similar vehicle stunts, not for an ordinary wheel or ordinary riding.

Common mistakes

Wheelie confused with wheel changes the meaning from a stunt to a vehicle part.

Etymology

Formed from wheel plus the informal suffix -ie, with the stunt sense recorded in the twentieth century.

FAQ

What does wheelie mean?

Wheelie means a stunt where the front wheel is lifted and the vehicle balances on the rear wheel or wheels.

Can wheelie be a verb?

Yes. To wheelie means to ride with the front wheel lifted off the ground.

What is the plural of wheelie?

The plural is wheelies.

What is the past tense of wheelie?

The past tense is wheelied.

What is the -ing form of wheelie?

The -ing form is wheelieing.

What vehicles can do a wheelie?

Bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, and some cars can do a wheelie, though the word is most common for bikes and motorcycles.

Is wheelie the same as wheel?

No. A wheel is a vehicle part, while a wheelie is a stunt.

Where does wheelie come from?

Wheelie is formed from wheel plus the informal suffix -ie.

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