reverse gear
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.11 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A gear (setting) in a vehicle's transmission which, when selected, makes the vehicle move backward. (Denoted with symbol R on a shifter's labeling.)
Countable; Uncountable
noun
A gear fitted to a machine which allows it to run in the direction opposite to normal operation.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
A backward movement; a retreating from a goal; an undoing progress instead of moving forward.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "Near-synonym: reversing gear"
- "The reverse gear of a Ford Model T was engaged with a foot pedal."
- "Reverse gear, air-operated, is incorporated in the transmission."
- "It's a chance to get transport investment in this country out of reverse gear - a chance to end paper promises."
- "This old lathe has a reverse gear, but it wouldn't be used under most conditions, and in fact its use is unsafe under most conditions because the chuck is attached with nothing but a right-hand screw thread!"