gear

Universal Words noun, verb noun in vehicle 1 [C,usually pl.] machinery in a vehicle that turns engine power (or power on a bicycle) into movement forwards or backwards: Careless use of the clutch may damage the gears. * The car pulled up with a screech of brakes and a grinding of gears. 2 [U,C] a particular position of the gears in a vehicle that gives a particular range of speed and power: first / second, etc. gear * reverse gear * low / high gear * (BrE) bottom / top gear * (BrE) to change gear * (AmE) to shift gear * When parking on a hill, leave the car in gear. * What gear are you in? * He drove wildly, crashing through the gears like a maniac. equipment / clothes 3 [U] the equipment or clothing needed for a particular activity: climbing / fishing / sports gear seealsoHEADGEAR, RIOTGEAR 4 [U] (informal) clothes: wearing the latest gear possessions 5 [U] (informal) the things that a person owns: I've left all my gear at Dave's house. machinery 6 [U] (often in compounds) a piece of machinery used for a particular purpose: lifting / towing / winding gear seealsoLANDINGGEAR speed / effort 7 [U,C] the speed or effort involved in doing sth: (BrE) The party organization is moving into top gear as the election approaches. * (AmE) to move into high gear * Coming out of the final bend, the runner stepped up a gear to overtake the rest of the pack. drugs 8 [U] (slang) illegal drugs IDIOMS get into gear