gear
word
Definition
Gear can mean equipment or clothing needed for a particular activity, such as camping or sports. It can also mean the parts with teeth in a machine, or the speed setting in a vehicle.
Usage & Nuances
In everyday English, 'gear' often means equipment in a general, slightly informal way: 'camping gear', 'camera gear'. In cars, we usually say 'change gear', 'be in first gear', or 'shift gears'. The machine meaning appears in technical contexts as 'gears' or 'gear mechanism'.
Example Sentences
I packed my camping gear last night.
basic
The bike has five gears.
basic
This machine needs a new gear.
basic
Do you have all your gym gear, or do we need to stop by your place first?
natural
You need to change gear before going up that hill.
natural
Once the gears started turning, the whole system came back to life.
natural