gear
noun uk/ɡɪər/ us/ɡɪr/
(ENGINE PART)
B2 [ C or U ]挡，排挡；传动装置
a device, often consisting of connecting sets of wheels with teeth (= points) around the edge, that controls how much power from an engine goes to the moving parts of a machine
Does your car have five or six gears? 你的车是4挡的还是5挡的？
I couldn't find reverse gear. 我找不着倒挡了。
The car should be in gear (= with its gears in position, allowing the vehicle to move). 车挡应该挂着。
When you start a car you need to be in first (US also low) gear. 汽车启动时应该挂第一挡。
figurative After a slow start, the leadership campaign suddenly shifted into top gear (= started to advance very quickly). 争夺领导权的竞选活动启动缓慢，但是后来却突然开足了马力紧锣密鼓地进行起来。
- More examples
- Push the clutch in, put the car into gear, rev the engine and then gently let the clutch out.
- To go backwards, you must put the car into reverse gear.
- The car's gears aren't meshing properly.
- In cars that are automatics, you don't have to bother with shifting gears.
- It's no good - these gears are shot.
(CLOTHES/EQUIPMENT)
B2 [ U ] UK（从事某活动的）装备，用具，衣服
the equipment, clothes, etc. that you use to do a particular activity
fishing/camping gear 钓鱼／野营用具
Police in riot gear (= protective clothing) arrived to control the protesters. 身着防暴衣的警察赶来制服抗议者。
Synonyms: accoutrements apparatus (EQUIPMENT)equipmentgadgetrytackle (EQUIPMENT)
Compare: appurtenance
See also: headgear
B2 informal（同 clothes）
clothes
She wears all the latest gear. 她穿的衣服都是最新潮的。
Synonyms: apparelattire clobber clothesdress garb threads togs wear (CLOTHES)
- More examples
- Police in riot gear were called in to quell the unrest.
- Everyone else was in jeans and casual gear and I had my office clothes on - I stuck out like a sore thumb.
- We got ourselves togged up in walking gear for the hike.
- A shop selling bondage gear has opened on the high street.
- Police in riot gear lined up at the end of the street.
(DRUGS)
[ U ] UK slang（同 drugs）
drugs
The traffickers knew that there would always be someone willing to move the gear. 非法贩卖者们知道总有人愿意转移毒品。
Idioms
be in/go into high gearidiom informal变得非常活跃（或兴奋、高效）
to be or become very active, exciting, or productive
The movie really goes into high gear when Williams appears on screen. 当威廉姆斯出现在银幕上时，这部电影真的进入了高潮。
change/shift/switch gearidiom UK (US change/shift/switch gears) （开车时）换档
to change the position of the gears to make a vehicle go faster or more slowly
step/move up a gearidiom UK informal （尤指体育运动中）大有转机，开始有很大起色
to start to do something better, especially in sports, in a way that is easy to see
After a disappointing first half, United moved up a gear and took control of the game. 上半场联队表现令人失望，但此后却表现出色，掌控了比赛的主动权。