26984 words

gears

12 definitions • 18 examples
1
a device, often consisting of connecting sets of wheels with teeth (= points) around the edge, that controls how much power from an engine goes to the moving parts of a machine:

Examples:

Does your car have five or six gears?
I couldn't find reverse gear.
in gear The car should be in gear (= with its gears in position, allowing the vehicle to move).
When you start a car you need to be in first (US also low) gear.
figurative After a slow start, the leadership campaign suddenly shifted into top gear (= started to advance very quickly).
2
3

Examples:

She wears all the latest gear.
4

Examples:

The traffickers knew that there would always be someone willing to move the gear.
5
(in a machine) a wheel having pointed parts around the edge that come together with similar parts of other wheels to control how much power from an engine goes to the moving parts of a machine
6
In a vehicle, a gear is any of several limited ranges of power that are used for different speeds:

Examples:

[ U ] Use second gear going up a steep hill.
7

Examples:

8
to make something ready or suitable for a particular purpose:

Examples:

[ T ] Our program is geared to the needs of children.
9

Examples:

A good place to connect with other consumers is Epinions.com, which posts reviews on all sorts of gadgets and gear.
10
equipment or clothes that are used for a particular activity:

Examples:

The workers said they received no protective gear or warnings about the dangers of asbestos.
11
the speed at which something happens or is done:

Examples:

After a slow start, the leadership campaign suddenly shifted into gear.
high/low/top gear
12
to start to do something better or faster:

Examples:

The price war stepped up a gear yesterday when two major chains announced they were cutting the cost of petrol.

Navigation