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: Military rearmament moved into high 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
- gearless, adjective
- re·gear, verb
- un·geared, adjective
- well-geared, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use gear in a sentence
You can convince them to leave their home, though, by giving them the proper gear to keep them warm and cozy.
The hottest gifts to buy for the friend who’s always cold | Sandra Gutierrez G. | November 20, 2020 | Popular-ScienceGiuliani’s strategy isn’t geared toward winning legal arguments, Greabe theorizes.
Rudy Giuliani’s post-election meltdown starts to become literal | Dan Zak, Josh Dawsey | November 20, 2020 | Washington PostIn the Navigator, the small differences between its many gear ratios keep the down-changes subtle and smooth, in keeping with the big luxury SUV’s overall character.
Backing up a trailer is really hard, but this $100,000 SUV offers a new solution | Dan Carney | November 19, 2020 | Popular-ScienceAlas, I don’t own a crossbow, slingshot, or potato cannon and was thus dependent on a skinny biceps and an iffy sidearm to launch my gear into the canopy.
The watch is geared for athletes—especially triathletes—and its simple user interface speaks to a device that aims to perform well in a specific niche.
This new workout watch can tell when you switch activities | Rob Verger | November 17, 2020 | Popular-Science
Micah is 10 years old and he had a coat geared to the season, a Patagonia winter jacket with a hood.
The Wildly Peaceful, Human, Almost Boring, Ultimately Great New York City Protests for Eric Garner | Mike Barnicle | December 8, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIn the case of Miss America, these role models are particularly geared towards women.
In 2009 Grindr debuted, a dating (or, really, hook-up) app geared towards gay, bi-sexual, and bi-curious men.
Swipe Right For Sex: Mixxxer Is Tinder for the Porn Star Set | Aurora Snow | October 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe conversation now around books like The Hunger Games is how much violence is too much violence in a book geared at children.
R.L. Stine’s Secret to Scaring the Crap Out of Kids | Kevin Fallon | October 3, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTA blandly written, barely acted sitcom about high schoolers but geared toward adolescents?
How Bad Was 'The Unauthorized Saved By the Bell Story'? | Kevin Fallon | September 2, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIt was a fourteen-horse-power engine, water-cooled, and geared with a chain to the propeller.
The Girls of Central High on the Stage | Gertrude W. MorrisonFanlight openers for single lights, or geared for a number of sashes, may be designed to suit positions difficult of access.
The disc of the timer, known as the "commutator," is so geared that it revolves in unison with the motor.
The Gasoline Motor | Harold Whiting SlausonThis fan is generally attached to a bracket at the front of the motor, and is driven either by a belt or geared shaft.
The Gasoline Motor | Harold Whiting SlausonGeared to swift activity, the big Pyrran found it impossible not to decide quickly.
Deathworld | Harry Harrison
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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