gear

SayGEERUS/ɡɪɚ/UK/ɡɪə/

Pluralgears (some meanings)

Verbgears, gearing, geared

15 meanings of gear

Practice

1
equipmentnoununcountable
The tools and special items you need for a sport or other activity.
Like all the things you pack in a bag for a trip.
We packed all our camping gear into the car.
You need the right gear before you go climbing.
UsageSay camping gear or a lot of gear (not ~~incorrect: gears~~).
Similarequipment, kit, tackle, stuff, paraphernalia
Note
2
toothed wheelnouncountable
A wheel with teeth around its edge that locks with another to pass on movement.
Like two combs pushing against each other, so when one moves it makes the other move.
The bike's chain slipped off the gear.
A small gear turned the big wheel slowly.
UsageOne gear meshes with another. You can write gearwheel or gear wheel.
Similarcog, cogwheel
Note
3
suit a purposeverbtransitive
To design or change something so it fits a certain group of people or a certain purpose.
Like cutting a shirt to fit one person exactly.
They gear their lessons to younger students.
We need to gear the show toward families.
UsageOften said as geared to or geared toward a group of people.
Similartailor, adapt, aim, pitch, target
4
speed settingnouncountable
One of several speed settings on a bike or car, chosen with a shifter.
Like choosing an easy or hard setting on a machine to match the job.
Shift into a lower gear when you climb a steep hill.
She changed gear as the road got steeper.
UsageSay in first gear, and change gear or shift into a lower gear.
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5
clothesnouncountable or uncountable
Clothes, especially a particular style or set of them.
Like the outfit you put on for a special day.
He showed up in his winter gear.
Put on your rain gear before we leave.
UsageOften after in: in his winter gear.
Similarclothes, clothing, garb, attire, outfit
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6
plane wheelsnouncountable or uncountableabbreviationellipsis
Short for landing gear. The wheels a plane uses to take off and land.
The pilot lowered the gear before landing.
Something was wrong with the gear as the plane touched down.
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7
noununcountable
Your things and belongings.
Like calling everything you own your 'stuff.'
The peddler loaded all his gear onto the cart at dawn.
She gathered what little gear she owned and set out.
Note

Less common meanings

8
verbtransitive
To fit a machine with toothed wheels so it runs at the speed you want.
Like adding the right size wheels inside a clock so the hands move correctly.
Engineers gear the motor to spin the blades faster.
They gear each machine for heavy loads.
UsageOften said as geared for speed or power.
Note
9
verbintransitive
To mesh with a machine's turning parts so that power can pass through.
Like two hands locking fingers together so they move as one.
The two wheels gear with each other inside the clock.
The small cog gears with the larger wheel.
UsageSay one wheel gears with another.
Similarmesh, engage, interlock
Oppositedisengage
Note
10
put onverbtransitive
To put equipment or a harness onto a person or animal.
Like putting on special clothes and tools before doing a tough job.
The coach helped gear the kids up with pads and helmets.
Parents geared their kids up in snow pants and boots.
UsageUsually said gear up: gear the kids up with helmets.
Similarequip, harness, dress, outfit, arm
Oppositeunharness
11
drugsnounslanguncountable
Drugs taken for fun or to boost performance, including steroids.
He got caught buying gear behind the gym.
They warned him to stay away from that gear.
UsagePeople say someone is on gear. In serious writing, name the drug.
Similardrugs, steroids, dope, juice
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12
borrow to investverbintransitive
To borrow money so that you can buy investments with it.
Like borrowing money to buy a tool you hope will earn back more than it costs.
Some investors gear heavily to buy more property.
It can be risky to gear in order to chase higher returns.
Similarborrow, leverage
Oppositedeleverage
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13
nounobsoletecountable or uncountable
Business matters or affairs that a person deals with.
goe they both together to their geare.
1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, geare means their business, the things they need to do.
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14
nounobsoleteUKcountable or uncountable
Worthless nonsense, or foolish talk and junk.
Note
15
adjectivedialectal
Really great or wonderful. People say it mostly in Liverpool.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of gear apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From an Old Norse word gervi meaning gear or equipment. It came into English through Middle English gere.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

Gear derives from Old Norse gervi through Middle English gere. en.wiktionary.org
Old Norse gervi is a noun meaning 'gear'; 'to prepare' is the meaning of its Proto-Germanic ancestor *garwijaną. en.wiktionary.org