A treadle is the flat bar or plate that you push with your foot, again and again, to make a machine turn. Old sewing machines had one: you rocked your foot on the wide iron plate underneath, and a belt carried that movement up to the needle.

A treadle腳踏板 is the flat bar or plate是一塊平的橫桿或踏板 that you push with your foot你用腳去踩它 again and again一次又一次 to make a machine turn讓機器轉動 Old sewing machines舊式縫紉機 had one就有這種踏板 you rocked your foot你用腳前後搖動 on the wide iron plate underneath踩在下面那塊寬鐵板上 and a belt carried that movement up to the needle再由一條皮帶把這個動作傳到車針上

Spinning wheels, potters' wheels, lathes and small printing presses all had them too. The idea is always the same — your foot does the work, so both hands stay free.

Spinning wheels, potters' wheels, lathes and small printing presses紡車、陶輪、車床和小型印刷機 all had them too也都有這種踏板 The idea is always the same原理都一樣 your foot does the work你的腳負責出力 so both hands stay free這樣雙手就能空出來

Because these machines belong mostly to the past, the word feels old and a bit specialist now; you meet it in museums, in craft shops, in descriptions of antiques, and often as part of a longer name like 'treadle sewing machine'.

Because these machines belong mostly to the past因為這些機器大多已經是過去式了 the word feels old and a bit specialist now這個字現在聽起來有點老、有點專業 you meet it你會在 in museums, in craft shops, in descriptions of antiques博物館、手工藝店，還有古董的介紹裡遇到它 and often as part of a longer name而且常常是一個較長名稱的一部分 like 'treadle sewing machine'像'treadle sewing machine'（腳踏式縫紉機）

It also works as a verb: to treadle is to work such a machine with your foot. A useful thing to notice is that a treadle rocks or is pushed down to turn a wheel, while a pedal (on a bike) goes all the way round with your foot on it.

It also works as a verb它也可以當動詞用 to treadle to treadle is to work such a machine with your foot就是用腳操作這種機器 A useful thing to notice有件事值得注意 is that就是 a treadle踏板 rocks or is pushed down是前後搖動或被往下踩 to turn a wheel來讓輪子轉動 while而 a pedal (on a bike)腳踏車的踏板 goes all the way round會整圈轉動 with your foot on it腳一直踩在上面