gear
Listen:Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
gear/ɡɪə(r)/
▶noun
- 1 a toothed wheel that works with others to alter the relation between the speed of an engine and the speed of the driven parts (e.g. wheels).
■ a particular setting of engaged gears: in fifth gear.
- 2 apparatus or equipment: camping gear.
■ informal personal possessions.
■ informal clothing: designer gear.
- 3 Brit. informal illegal drugs.
- 1 design or adjust gears to give a specified speed or power output.
- 2 (often gear something up) make ready; prepare.
■ (often gear something for/to/towards) equip or adapt for a particular purpose.
- 3 (gear down or up) change to a lower (or higher) gear.
– phrases
in (or out of) gear with a gear (or no gear) engaged.
in (or out of) gear with a gear (or no gear) engaged.
– origin ME: of Scand. origin; cf. ON gervi.
'gear' also found in these Oxford entries:
bevel gear
- chain gear
- change
- derailleur
- differential
- double-declutch
- downshift
- gaiter
- garb
- gate
- gear lever
- gear shift
- gear train
- high gear
- hypoid
- idle
- kick-down
- landing gear
- low gear
- notchy
- overdrive
- planetary gear
- planet gear
- R
- reduction gear
- reverse
- reverse gear
- running gear
- screw gear
- selector
- shift
- skew gear
- speed
- spur gear
- stick
- stick shift
- sun-and-planet gear
- sun gear
- sun wheel
- synchromesh
- transaxle
- upshift
- valve gear
- variable
- worm
- worm gear
- wormwheel
