gear

1 noun

1 IN CARS ETC (C, U) the machinery in a vehicle that turns power from the engine into movement: The new model has five forward gears. | driving cautiously along in third gear | bottom gear BrE low gear AmE (=the gear used for driving slowly) | in gear (=with a gear connecting the engine to the wheels, and therefore ready to move): Don't turn off the engine while you're still in gear.

2 MACHINERY a piece of machinery that performs a particular job: the landing gear of a plane | heavy lifting gear

3 EQUIPMENT a set of equipment or tools you need for a particular activity: He's crazy about photography - he's got all the gear. | We'll need camping gear when we go away.

4 CLOTHES a set of clothes that you wear for a particular occasion or activity: Bring your rain gear. | You have to wear protective gear for this.

5 change gear BrE shift gear AmE

a) to move a vehicle into a different gear

b) to start something in a different way, especially in the amount of energy or effort you use: The boss expects us to be able to change gear just like that.

6 in top gear BrE in high gear AmE

a) the gear used at high speeds

b) doing something with the greatest possible effort and energy: During this period, Japan's export industries were in top gear. | The Republican's propaganda machine moved into high gear.

7 be thrown out of gear if a process is thrown out of gear, something prevents it from happening in the way that was planned

8 DRUGS (U) slang a word meaning illegal drugs, used by people who take drugs

2 verb (T)

1 be geared to to be organized in a way that is suitable for a particular purpose or situation: The typical career pattern was geared to men whose wives didn't work. | be geared to do sth: The course curriculum is geared to span three years.

2 be geared up to be well prepared for something you have to do

(+ for): The party is all geared up for the election. | We need to be geared up to deal with this sort of emergency.