gear — OET · Shobdo

gear

noun

1 he dropped out of the race with damaged gears:

gearwheel, toothed wheel, cog, cogwheel.

2 my bike has five gears:

gear ratio, speed.

3 the steering gear of a boat:

mechanism, gears, machinery, works.

4 informal he stowed the fishing gear in the aft locker:

equipment, apparatus, paraphernalia, articles, appliances, impedimenta;

tools, utensils, implements, instruments, hardware, gadgets, gadgetry;

stuff, things;

kit, rig, tackle, outfit;

resources, amenities, supplies;

furniture, furnishings, fittings;

odds and ends, bits and pieces, bits and bobs;

trappings, appurtenances, accoutrements, regalia;

Military materiel, baggage;

informal box of tricks;

British, informal clobber, gubbins, odds and sods;

archaic equipage.

5 informal I'll go back to my hotel and pick up my gear:

belongings, possessions, effects, personal effects, property, baggage, chattels, movables, paraphernalia, appurtenances, impedimenta, miscellaneous articles, odds and ends, bits and pieces, bits and bobs, trappings, accessories;

British rubbish;

informal things, stuff, kit, junk, traps;

British, informal clobber, gubbins, odds and sods;

dated dunnage.

6 informal the best designer gear:

clothes, clothing, garments, articles of clothing/dress, attire, garb;

dress, wear, wardrobe;

outfit, costume, turnout;

finery;

informal togs, duds, garms, get-up, glad rags;

British, informal clobber, kit, rig-out;

North American, informal threads;

formal apparel;

literary raiment, habiliments, habit;

archaic vestments.

verb

□ gear up

we are all gearing up for the start of a new season:

prepare, make preparations, make provisions, get everything ready, make ready, take the necessary steps, do the necessary.

□ gear oneself up

the band are gearing themselves up for a massive party:

get ready, prepare, make preparations, arrange things, make provision, get everything set, take the necessary steps, do the necessary, lay the groundwork, do the spadework, gird up one's loins, rig oneself out, arm oneself;

British kit oneself out;

informal psych oneself up.

gear Oxford Dictionary of English