treader

English

Etymology

From Middle English tredere, equivalent to tread +‎ -er. Cognate with Middle Dutch treder (“treader”), Middle Low German trēdære, trēder (“treader, bellows kicker”), Middle High German tretære, treter (“treader”) (whence German Treter (“old shoe, footballer”)).

Pronunciation

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Noun

treader (plural treaders)

1. One who treads.
2. (UK, Oxford, slang) A bicycle.
   • 1958, Dominic Reeve, Smoke in the Lanes, London: Constable & Co.; republished London: The Country Book Club, 1959, page 82:

     Why, he weren’t no more’n knocked offen his treader. An’ now he’ve rid off home on it!

   • 1996 June 6, Ben Summers, “Saddle-weary commuters left with a sore deal”, in The Independent‎^[1], London, page 6:

     The Royal Academy has just two orange hoops on to which four early-bird visitors can chain their treaders. It is left to the railings outside for the rest.

   • 2015 July 25, Richard Batson, “Family set for 156-mile charity ride in memory of Holt doctor”, in Eastern Daily Press‎^[2], Norwich:

     He set off from Oxford on a standard old "treader" bike, often at night – navigating by the stars and napping under a hedge if got^[sic] tired on his way to Holt.

Derived terms

• marsh treader

 

Anagrams

• rerated, retrade, retread