ped-, pedi-, -pedal, -ped, -pede, -pedia

Having legs of equal length.

An opportunity to achieve a goal or an end often without regard for principles or ethics: Given the urgency to complete the railroad on time, the contractors resorted to the expedience of using poor quality materials.

1. The use of methods that bring the most immediate benefits, based on practical rather than moral considerations: For reasons of expediency, Ted decided to take a shortcut to the hospital to get his wife there on time for the birth of their baby.
2. The feature or characteristic of being compatible or acceptable to bring about a desired result or an intended objective: It proved to be an expediency to have the equipment in the fitness room already set up before the students entered for their exercises.
3. Adherence to self-serving means: Sharon was an ambitious politician who was guided by expediency rather than principle. © ALL rights are reserved.

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1. Something which is suitable or advantageous for a situation: Admittedly, the neon sign is disturbing, but it's a necessary expedient for attracting more people to Kermit's store.
2. A means to an end: Mack used a hidden key as a useful expedient to get into his house because he forgot to take his regular set of keys with him when he went shopping.
3. An objective that is devised or employed as a procedure to achieve a desire; not necessarily an honest one: The governing body was accused of choosing short-term expedients instead of practical economic policies.

The criminal resorted to shady expedients in order to rob banks.

4. Etymology: from Latin, "to free (a person’s) feet from fetters"; an antonym of "impede"; hence, "to free from difficulties, to help forward, to get (a work) completed, to dispatch, to send off", etc. © ALL rights are reserved.

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1. A reference to an effort to come up with a quick solution or an effective approach to a potential problem: The speaker found it expedient to lecture from his notes and not to depend on his memory.

Frank told his son to be calm, do the right thing, and not to hurry too quickly in order to make an expedient decision.

2. Conveying some proposed or desired objective; fit or suitable for the purpose; proper under the circumstances: Jim thinks it is an expedient idea that he and his wife go home now because the storm could get worse.
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A reference to something that is contrived or used to meet an urgent need.

1. To complete or to accomplish quickly and efficiently: Using postal codes on letters and packages expedites the delivery of mail and Mollie was so glad that the envelope with her birthday greetings was sent the day before to her mother and it was expedited via the mail service.
2. To deal with something, especially a business transaction, swiftly and efficiently: Jim was told by his insurance company that it would expedite the processing of his insurance claim as soon as possible.
3. Etymology: from Latin expeditus, past participle of expedire, "to make fit or ready, to prepare"; literally, "free the feet from fetters"; hence, "to liberate from difficulties"; from ex-, "out" + pedis "fetter, chain for the feet"; related to pes, pedis, "foot".

When anyone expedites anything, he or she is actually "freeing" the feet for faster action.

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© ALL rights are reserved.

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1. A person or tool that expedites something; especially, someone employed to move shipments on schedule.
2. Someone who is employed to ensure efficient movement of goods or supplies in a business.

1. A trip or journey that is organized to accomplish a specific objective: The biologists are on an expedition into the African jungle to study certain animal species.
2. People who participate in organized trips with defined goals: The expedition had to sleep in tents while they were in the desert during their explorations.
3. Etymology: from the Latin verb expedire, which originally had the meaning: "free one’s feet" from a snare, for example.

An expedition is often a group of people sent on some important undertaking and so their feet must be free to move without hindrance.

1. Descriptive of something that is prompt, speedy, immediate, and efficient: This emergency warning of an epidemic requires expeditious action so more people can avoid getting sick.
2. A reference to an answer that is quickly given: Jim gave his mother an expeditious response to her question as he was leaving to catch his bus to go to school.
3. Etymology: whenever anyone is expeditious (fast) about doing anything, it is because that person's feet are not tied up. This is because the Latin word pes (a stem of ped) means "foot" and ex means "out of".

1. In an efficient manner.
2. Acting or done with speed and efficiency.

1. Characterized by promptness.
2. Done quickly.

1. Having the toes separated.
2. An animal having its toes divided.

Measuring a hundred feet in length and breadth; a hundred feet square.

1. A measure of six feet.
2. A creature with six feet, a hexapod.