gear
Machinery.
a part, as a disk, wheel, or section of a shaft, having cut teeth of such form, size, and spacing that they mesh with teeth in another part to transmit or receive force and motion.
an assembly of such parts.
one of several possible arrangements of such parts in a mechanism, as an automobile transmission, for affording different relations of torque and speed between the driving and the driven machinery, or for permitting the driven machinery to run in either direction: first gear;reverse gear.
a mechanism or group of parts performing one function or serving one purpose in a complex machine: steering gear.
implements, tools, or apparatus, especially as used for a particular occupation or activity; paraphernalia: fishing gear.
a harness, especially of horses.
Nautical.
the lines, tackles, etc., of a particular sail or spar.
the personal tools, clothing, and other possessions of a sailor.
portable items of personal property, including clothing; possessions: The campers keep all their gear in footlockers.
wearing apparel; clothing: The fashion pages of the Sunday paper are featuring the latest fall gear.
armor or arms.
to provide with or connect by gearing.
to put in or into gear.
to provide with gear; supply; equip.
to prepare, adjust, or adapt to a particular situation, person, etc., in order to bring about satisfactory results: The producers geared their output to seasonal demands.
to fit exactly, as one part of gearing into another; come into or be in gear.
Slang. great; wonderful.
gear down,
Automotive. to shift the transmission of a vehicle to a lower gear: The truck driver geared down at the top of the hill.
to reduce in scope or intensity: With less income you'll have to gear down your spending habits.
gear up,
to make or get ready for a future event or situation: Insiders say the senator is gearing up to run for governor.
to get or put on equipment or clothing for a particular purpose: The hikers geared up for the long trek down the mountain.
to arouse or excite, as with enthusiasm or expectation: The employees were geared up for a hard battle with management over working hours.
Idioms about gear
in gear,
Machinery. in the state in which gears are connected or meshed: The car is in gear.
in proper or active working order; functioning continuously without trouble: Every department in this company must be in gear at all times.
in / into high gear, in or into a state of utmost speed, activity, or efficiency: With cold and flu season in high gear, it's time to perfect your chicken soup recipe.Military rearmament moved into high gear.: Also Chiefly British, in / into top gear .
out of gear, Machinery. in the state in which gears are not connected or meshed: The engine is out of gear.
shift / switch gears, to change one's attitude, course of action, methods, etc., in an abrupt, dramatic, or unexpected manner: In the middle of the second act the play shifts gears from comedy to tragedy.
Origin of gear
1Other words for gear
Other words from gear
- gear·less, adjective
- re·gear, verb
- un·geared, adjective
- well-geared, adjective
Words Nearby gear
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use gear in a sentence
The videos are part of the new Outspoken project — a new media platform Log Cabin is gearing up to launch the same week as the Republican National Convention takes place.
Log Cabin’s new project seeks to duplicate success of Grenell video | Chris Johnson | August 26, 2020 | Washington BladeAs with any new piece of gear, get familiar with your lights before taking them out on the road.
Health care professionals who don’t have the protective gear they need.
Sen. Baldwin draws on inequities in health care, wealth in convention speech | Chris Johnson | August 21, 2020 | Washington BladeHuawei widened its lead as the world’s largest manufacturer of telecommunications gear and overtook Samsung and Apple to become the world’s No.
Huawei said the U.S. couldn’t ‘crush’ it. Trump is starving it instead | claychandler | August 20, 2020 | FortuneAt the start of the pandemic, more than 800 distillers quickly switched gears and jumped into action to make hand sanitizer for their local first responders and communities.
Craft distillers have lost out on more than $700 million in sales because of the pandemic | Rachel King | August 20, 2020 | Fortune
And so, he says he left prison without proper ID, just his release papers and the “dress-out gear” he was given by the state.
His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside | Justin Rohrlich | January 3, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTWe, on the other hand, on the police side, will naturally gear up to deal with any potential contingency that might occur.
After No Indictment for Eric Garner Killer, Is NYC the Next Ferguson? | Jacob Siegel | December 3, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe best thing about winter is seeing all the cute kids bundled up in their cold-weather gear.
The Daily Beast’s 2014 Holiday Gift Guide: For the Blue Ivy in Your Life | Allison McNearney | November 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThese self-dubbed gear heads go toe to toe (or perhaps more accurately, crash to crash), with the men in the sport.
The Moms of Monster Jam Drive Trucks, Buck Macho Culture | Eliza Krigman | November 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTPhotos he would share on Facebook this year show Hauchard in Raqqa, wearing combat gear and wielding a variety of heavy weapons.
Showing the Faces of Its Murderers, ISIS Shows Its Global Reach | Tracy McNicoll | November 18, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe controlling leaders being out of gear the machine did not run smoothly: there was nothing but friction and tension.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonA piece of iron sticking out from the cross-head carried the plug-rod for working the gear-handles.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2) | Francis TrevithickThe valves, gear, and nozzles were perhaps improved in detail; but the groundwork was unchanged.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2) | Francis TrevithickTwo valves turned the steam on and off from under the piston, with the ordinary gear and handles.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2) | Francis TrevithickThe first shot demolished the top gear of one of the ships, bringing down the men; and the other ships kept a safe distance.
King Robert the Bruce | A. F. Murison
British Dictionary definitions for gear
/ (ɡɪə) /
a toothed wheel that engages with another toothed wheel or with a rack in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion
a mechanism for transmitting motion by gears, esp for a specific purpose: the steering gear of a boat
the engagement or specific ratio of a system of gears: in gear; high gear
personal equipment and accoutrements; belongings
equipment and supplies for a particular operation, sport, etc: fishing gear
nautical all equipment or appurtenances belonging to a certain vessel, sailor, etc
short for landing gear
informal up-to-date clothes and accessories, esp those bought by young people
slang
stolen goods
illegal drugs
a less common word for harness (def. 1)
in gear working or performing effectively or properly
out of gear out of order; not functioning properly
(tr) to adjust or adapt (one thing) so as to fit in or work with another: to gear our output to current demand
(tr) to equip with or connect by gears
(intr) to be in or come into gear
(tr) to equip with harness
Origin of gear
1Derived forms of gear
- gearless, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for gear
[ gîr ]
A wheel with teeth around its rim that mesh with the teeth of another wheel to transmit motion. Gears are used to transmit power (as in a car transmission) or change the direction of motion in a mechanism (as in a differential axle). Fixed ratios of speed in various parts of a machine is often established by the arrangement of gears.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with gear
see high gear; slip a cog (gear).
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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