reverse gear

noun

: a part (called a gear) that makes a motor move a vehicle in a backward direction
The tractor does not have a reverse gear.
Put the car in/into reverse gear.
sometimes used figuratively
The economy seems to be stuck in reverse gear.

Examples of reverse gear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The electric motor also serves as the V12’s starter, and provides the Revuelto’s reverse function, eliminating the need for a reverse gear in the transmission. Dan Carney, Popular Science, 3 Apr. 2023 Unlike the 8-speed gearbox as used in the SF90 Stradale, which has no mechanical reverse and uses the front electric motors for reversing, Roma Coupé and Spider both have a mechanical reverse gear. Mark Ewing, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reverse gear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Reverse gear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reverse%20gear. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.

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