1. A toothed wheel that engages another toothed mechanism in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion
   "The gear wheel in the clock mechanism needed replacement";
   - gear wheel, geared wheel, cogwheel
    
2. Wheelwork consisting of a connected set of rotating gears by which force is transmitted, motion or torque is changed
   "the fool got his tie caught in the gear";
   - gearing, geartrain, power train, train, drivetrain
    
3. A mechanism for transmitting motion for some specific purpose (as the steering gear of a vehicle)
   "The car's steering became difficult due to a problem with the gear mechanism";
   - gear mechanism
    
4. Equipment consisting of miscellaneous articles needed for a particular operation or sport etc.
   "The campers packed all their hiking gear for the weekend trip";
   - paraphernalia, appurtenance
    
5. [informal] Clothing in general
   "she was refined in her choice of gear";
   - apparel, wearing apparel, dress, clothes, toggery [informal]
    
6. [informal] Illegal drugs
   "The police raided the party looking for gear"

1. Set the level or character of
   "She geared her speech to the teenagers in the audience";
   - pitch
    
2. Adjust gears in order to achieve a desired speed
   "He geared down to climb the steep hill"

Derived forms: geared, gearing, gears

Type of: accommodate, adapt, article of clothing, clothing, duds [informal], equipment, habiliment [archaic], mechanism, threads [informal], togs [informal], vesture [archaic], wear, wearable, wheel, wheelwork

Part of: engine

Encyclopedia: Gear, Michael