gear
/ɡɪə/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.46 in modern English
5
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A wheel, wheel segment, or bar with grooves (teeth) engraved on the outer circumference, such that two such devices can interlock and convey motion from one to the other.
Countable
noun
A particular combination or choice of interlocking gears, such that a particular gear ratio is achieved; often selected via a shifter.
Countable
noun
A particular combination or choice of interlocking gears, such that a particular gear ratio is achieved; often selected via a shifter.
Countable
Example Sentences
- "Aray thy selfe in her most gorgeous geare"
- "Those Eastern winters, I can't endure 'em / So every year I pack my gear and come out here till Purim / Rosh Hashanah, I spend in Arizona"
- "Homely gear and common ware."
- "Near-synonyms: (wheel types) cog, cogwheel, gear wheel, gearwheel"
- "gear-up landing"
- "Get the gear down quick!"
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Germanic *ga- Proto-Indo-European *h₂er-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₃er-der. Proto-Germanic *arwaz Proto-Germanic *garwaz Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Germanic *-janą Proto-Germanic *garwijanąder. Old Norse gervibor. Middle English gere English gear From Middle English gere, a borrowing from Old Norse gervi, from Proto-Germanic *garwijaną (“to prepare”). See also adjective yare, yar from the same root via Old English.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ɡɪə/
- British English: /ɡɪə/
Usage
Inflected Forms
gears (plural)
gears (present, singular)
gearing (participle, present)
geared (participle, past)
geared (past)
more gear (comparative)
most gear (superlative)