gear

I UK [ɡɪə(r)] / US [ɡɪr] noun
Word forms "gear":
singular gear plural gears
**

1) [countable/uncountable] the part of an engine that changes engine power into movement. Most cars in the UK have 5 or 6 gears that you operate yourself

change gear:

Helen changed gear as she approached the junction.

first/second etc gear:

At forty miles an hour you should be in fourth gear.

low/high gear:

Always use a low gear when driving down a steep hill.

grind/crash the gears (= make a noise when changing gear because you do not do it correctly):

You'll ruin the gearbox if you keep grinding the gears like that.

in gear (= with one of the gears connected so that the power of the engine will make the wheels move):

The car won't move unless you're in gear.

out of gear (= with no gears connected):

Take the car out of gear.

2) [uncountable] the special clothes and equipment that you use for a particular activity

Don't forget to bring walking gear.

We took down the tent and packed all the gear away.

police dressed in riot gear

3) [uncountable] a machine or part of a machine that does a particular job

Firefighters with heavy lifting gear battled to free the survivors from the wreckage.

4) [uncountable] informal old-fashioned clothes, especially fashionable ones. This word is often used humorously.

5) [uncountable] informal illegal drugs, especially heroin

•

get/click into gear — to start working effectively or making progress

Her electoral campaign is finally getting into gear.

Suddenly my brain clicked into gear and I realized what was happening.

in/into top gear — working very fast or effectively

They suffered five straight defeats, just as their rivals clicked into top gear.

move/shift up a gear — to start working much more effectively or quickly, or with more energy

Both teams stepped up a gear in the second half.

put/throw something out of gear — to stop something from working as it should

Can you sort this thing out? It's putting my system right out of gear.

See:

reverse gear

II UK [ɡɪə(r)] / US [ɡɪr] verb [intransitive/transitive, usually passive]
Word forms "gear":
present tense I/you/we/they gear he/she/it gears present participle gearing past tense geared past participle geared

to prepare something or make it suitable for a particular situation, group, or use

gear toward:

The museum is geared towards children.

gear for:

We were geared for the visit and are disappointed that it was cancelled.

gear something for something:

We are gearing the company for ever-increasing demand.

gear something to do/doing something:

The committee is not geared to carrying out regular school inspections.

Phrasal verbs:

- gear up