What does "gear" mean?

Fruitful

People are talking about gear as something they want to avoid. I thought gear meant equipment.

The other use of gear I know is as an adjective. I'm sure the young John Lennon denoted coolness by saying something was "really gear". I rather like that, I don't want to use it as a pejorative! ^_^

14 years ago

Dressing

5 replies

Latest reply was from Marigold

MsMary

Veteran

Around here we use "gear" to mean athletic clothes like sweats, gym shoes, yoga pants, and things of that nature. Angie's position is that gear should ONLY be worn for sporting activities. Others of us think it's fine to drop into the supermarket clad in gear on the way home from the gym, and still others of us think gear can be fine for casual occasions not involving athletics at all.

14 years ago

Fruitful

Veteran

Thankyou! And thankyou for explaining the cultural context of "gear" as well. I like that different opinions on wearing it are equally entertained within this forum.

14 years ago

mechelle

(website)

Active Member

1. a toothed wheel that engages another toothed mechanism in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion
2. wheelwork consisting of a connected set of rotating gears by which force is transmitted or motion or torque is changed
3. a mechanism for transmitting motion for some specific purpose (as the steering gear of a vehicle)
4. equipment consisting of miscellaneous articles needed for a particular operation or sport etc.

14 years ago

April

Veteran

Fruitful, if you live in the U.S., just go to any ordinary public location such as a supermarket or shopping mall and have a look around. Probably 75% of the people you see will be wearing the YLF definition of "gear."

And the rest will be wearing leggings as pants.

14 years ago

Marigold

Active Member

LOL @ April: so true: with flip flops or Uggs, depending on the season.

14 years ago

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