: 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
Noun
I somehow managed to pack all my gear into one suitcase.
soldiers in full combat gear
a complicated arrangement of gears and shafts
a car with four forward gears
Halfway up the hill, my bike slipped out of gear.
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Noun
Noonan squeezed uncomfortably inside the fuselage, wedged amid fuel tanks and gear.—Laurie Gwen Shapiro, New Yorker, 2 June 2025 And imagine also having to move all of that gear internationally?—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 2 June 2025
Verb
It is geared toward mega-rich business travelers, air taxi operators and anyone who wants to skip traffic and simply fly over it instead.—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 June 2025 This will set you up with a $150 bonus or a $1,000 first bet safety net on any game or gear you up for the NBA Finals and more this week.—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for gear
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English gere, from Old Norse gervi, gǫrvi; akin to Old English gearwe equipment, clothing, gearu ready — more at yare
: one of the adjustments of a transmission (as of a bicycle or motor vehicle) that determine the direction of travel and the relative speed of the engine and the vehicle
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