gear

¹gear

noun \ˈgir\

Definition of GEAR

1

a : clothing, garments

b : movable property : goods

2

: equipment, paraphernalia <fishing gear>

3

a : the rigging of a ship or boat

b : the harness especially of horses

4

dialect chiefly British : absurd talk : nonsense

5

dialect chiefly British : doings

6

a (1) : a mechanism that performs a specific function in a complete machine <steering gear> (2) : a toothed wheel (3) : working relation, position, order, or adjustment <got her career in gear> (4) : a level or pace of functioning <kicked their performance into high gear>

b : one of two or more adjustments of a transmission (as of a bicycle or motor vehicle) that determine mechanical advantage, relative speed, and direction of travel

— gear·less \-ləs\ adjective

Examples of GEAR

1. I somehow managed to pack all my gear into one suitcase.
2. soldiers in full combat gear
3. a complicated arrangement of gears and shafts
4. a car with four forward gears
5. Halfway up the hill, my bike slipped out of gear.

Illustration of GEAR

Origin of GEAR

Middle English gere, from Old Norse gervi, gǫrvi; akin to Old English gearwe equipment, clothing, gearu ready — more at yare

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to GEAR

Synonyms

accoutrements (or accouterments), apparatus, equipment, hardware, kit [chiefly British], material(s), matériel (or materiel), outfit, paraphernalia, stuff, tackle

Related Words

accessories, appurtenances, attachments, fittings; baggage, belongings, impedimenta; appliances, facilities, instruments, machinery, tools; apparel, attire, habiliments, raiment, trappings; armamentarium, armory, arsenal, battery; assets, resources

Near Antonyms

immovables, real estate

²gear

verb

Definition of GEAR

transitive verb

1

a : to provide (as machinery) with gearing

b : to connect by gearing

2

a : to make ready for effective operation

b : to adjust so as to match, blend with, or satisfy something <gearing wages to productivity>

intransitive verb

1

a British of machinery : to be in gear : mesh

b : shift 1c <gear down>

2

: to become adjusted so as to match, blend, or harmonize

First Known Use of GEAR

1851

gear

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Machine component consisting of a toothed wheel attached to a rotating shaft. Gears operate in pairs, the teeth of one engaging the teeth of a second, to transmit and modify rotary motion and torque. To transmit motion smoothly, the contacting surfaces of gear teeth must be carefully shaped to a specific profile. The smaller of a gear pair is often known as the pinion. If the pinion is on the driving shaft, the pair acts to reduce speed and to amplify torque; if the pinion is on the driven shaft, the pair acts to increase speed and reduce torque.