gear

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: gîr, IPA ^(key): /ɡɪə(r)/
• (US) enPR: gîr, IPA ^(key): /ɡɪɚ/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Noun

Singular gear

Plural gears

Gears

Ice hockey gear

1. (uncountable) Gear is clothing and other equipment, especially in sports.

   Hurry up and get your gear on. The game's about to start.

2. (countable) Gears are wheels that turn and drive other wheels at different speeds.

   One of the gears from the motor had got stuck and wouldn't turn.

3. (countable); (singular often used without a determiner) A gear in a machine, especially a car or bicycle, is a particular combinations of gears.

   He put the car into gear and drove off.

   This bike has 24 gears, but I only use three.

   Shifting into fourth gear, she pushed the car over 100 km/h.

4. (countable); (singular often used without a determiner) A gear is a speed or level that you do something at.

   Everyone was working at high gear to finish before the deadline.

Synonym

• things
• stuff
• equipment
• speed

Related words

• gearing