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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
gear noun 1 (also gearwheel) a toothed wheel or disc that engages with another wheel or disc having a different number of teeth, and turns it, so transmitting motion from one rotating shaft to another. 2 the specific combination of such wheels or discs that is being used second gear low gear to change gear. 3 colloq the equipment or tools needed for a particular job, sport, etc. 4 aeronautics landing gear. 5 colloq personal belongings. 6 colloq clothes, especially young people's current fashion. 7 slang drugs. verb (geared, gearing) to supply something with, or connect it by, gears. in gear said especially of a motor vehicle: with a gear selected. out of gear 1 said of a motor vehicle: with no gear selected. 2 not working properly.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c as gere in obsolete sense 'arms' or 'equipment': from Norse gervi.
gear something to or towards something else to adapt or design it to suit (a particular need). gear oneself up to become or make oneself ready or prepared. gear something up finance to raise the gearing of (a company). |
gear noun 1 (also gearwheel) a toothed wheel or disc that engages with another wheel or disc having a different number of teeth, and turns it, so transmitting motion from one rotating shaft to another. 2 the specific combination of such wheels or discs that is being used second gear low gear to change gear. 3 colloq the equipment or tools needed for a particular job, sport, etc. 4 aeronautics landing gear. 5 colloq personal belongings. 6 colloq clothes, especially young people's current fashion. 7 slang drugs. verb (geared, gearing) to supply something with, or connect it by, gears. in gear said especially of a motor vehicle: with a gear selected. out of gear 1 said of a motor vehicle: with no gear selected. 2 not working properly.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c as gere in obsolete sense 'arms' or 'equipment': from Norse gervi.
gear something to or towards something else to adapt or design it to suit (a particular need). gear oneself up to become or make oneself ready or prepared. gear something up finance to raise the gearing of (a company). |
gear noun 1 (also gearwheel) a toothed wheel or disc that engages with another wheel or disc having a different number of teeth, and turns it, so transmitting motion from one rotating shaft to another. 2 the specific combination of such wheels or discs that is being used second gear low gear to change gear. 3 colloq the equipment or tools needed for a particular job, sport, etc. 4 aeronautics landing gear. 5 colloq personal belongings. 6 colloq clothes, especially young people's current fashion. 7 slang drugs. verb (geared, gearing) to supply something with, or connect it by, gears. in gear said especially of a motor vehicle: with a gear selected. out of gear 1 said of a motor vehicle: with no gear selected. 2 not working properly.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c as gere in obsolete sense 'arms' or 'equipment': from Norse gervi.
gear something to or towards something else to adapt or design it to suit (a particular need). gear oneself up to become or make oneself ready or prepared. gear something up finance to raise the gearing of (a company). |
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The Chambers Dictionary (13th edition)
“Chambers is the one I keep at my right hand”- Philip Pullman.
The unrivalled dictionary for word lovers, now in its 13th edition.
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The Chambers Thesaurus
The Chambers Thesaurus (4th Edition) is a veritable treasure-trove, including the greatest selection of alternative words and phrases available in an A to Z format. -
Chambers Biographical Dictionary
“Simply all you need to know about anyone” – Fay Weldon.
Thoroughly revised and updated for its 9th edition.




Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
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