ETYM Old Eng. levour, Old Fren. leveor, prop., a lifter, from French lever to raise, Latin levare; akin to levis light in weight, Eng. levity, and perh. to Eng. light not heavy: cf. French levier. Related to Alleviate, Elevate, Leaven, Legerdemain, Levee, Levy.
Simple machine consisting of a rigid rod pivoted at a fixed point called the fulcrum, used for shifting or raising a heavy load or applying force in a similar way. Levers are classified into orders according to where the effort is applied, and the load-moving force developed, in relation to the position of the fulcrum.
A first-order lever has the load and the effort on opposite sides of the fulcrum—for example, a see-saw or pair of scissors. A second-order lever has the load and the effort on the same side of the fulcrum, with the load nearer the fulcrum—for example, nutcrackers or a wheelbarrow. A third-order lever has the effort nearer the fulcrum than the load, with both on the same side of it—for example, a pair of tweezers or tongs. The mechanical advantage of a lever is the ratio of load to effort, equal to the perpendicular distance of the effort’s line of action from the fulcrum divided by the distance to the load’s line of action. Thus tweezers, for instance, have a mechanical advantage of less than one.
1. A flat metal tumbler in a lever lock; SYN. lever tumbler.
2. A rigid bar pivoted about a fulcrum.
3. A simple machine that gives a mechanical advantage when given a fulcrum.

(1806-1872) Irish novelist. He wrote novels of Irish and army life, such as Harry Lorrequer 1837, Charles O’Malley 1840, and Tom Burke of Ours 1844.

1. To pry, raise, or move with or as if with a lever
2. To operate (a device) in the manner of a lever