"reverse gear" meaning in English

See reverse gear in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Forms: reverse gears [plural]
Head templates: {{en-noun|~}} reverse gear (countable and uncountable, plural reverse gears)
  1. (automotive) 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.) Wikidata QID: Q2203464 Tags: countable, uncountable Synonyms: reverse, reversing gear Hypernyms: gear Translations (gear (setting) in a vehicle's transmission): Rückwärtsgang [masculine] (German)
    Sense id: en-reverse_gear-en-noun-en:Q2203464 Categories (other): Automotive Topics: automotive, transport, vehicles Disambiguation of "gear (setting) in a vehicle's transmission": 82 16 2
  2. (mechanical engineering) A gear fitted to a machine which allows it to run in the direction opposite to normal operation. Tags: countable, uncountable Synonyms: reversing gear
    Sense id: en-reverse_gear-en-noun-ByNgjDVo Categories (other): Mechanical engineering, English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with German translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 30 64 6 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 26 59 16 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 30 63 7 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 27 67 6 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 21 66 13 Topics: engineering, mechanical, mechanical-engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences
  3. (figurative) A backward movement; a retreating from a goal; an undoing progress instead of moving forward. Tags: countable, figuratively, uncountable
    Sense id: en-reverse_gear-en-noun-I6jh8D77

Inflected forms

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "reverse gears",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "reverse gear (countable and uncountable, plural reverse gears)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Automotive",
          "orig": "en:Automotive",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Near-synonym: reversing gear"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              4,
              16
            ]
          ],
          "text": "The reverse gear of a Ford Model T was engaged with a foot pedal.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              0,
              12
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1962 April, “Beyond the Channel: Western Germany: The Henschel 4,000 h.p. V320 diesel”, in Modern Railways, page 274:",
          "text": "Reverse gear, air-operated, is incorporated in the transmission.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              65,
              77
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2021 October 6, Paul Stephen, “Network News: Labour: build HS2 and NPR and end \"paper promises\"”, in RAIL, number 941, page 25:",
          "text": "It's a chance to get transport investment in this country out of reverse gear - a chance to end paper promises.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "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.)"
      ],
      "hypernyms": [
        {
          "word": "gear"
        }
      ],
      "id": "en-reverse_gear-en-noun-en:Q2203464",
      "links": [
        [
          "automotive",
          "automotive"
        ],
        [
          "transmission",
          "transmission"
        ],
        [
          "backward",
          "backward"
        ],
        [
          "R",
          "R#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(automotive) 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.)"
      ],
      "senseid": [
        "en:Q2203464"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "reverse"
        },
        {
          "word": "reversing gear"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "automotive",
        "transport",
        "vehicles"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "82 16 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "lang_code": "de",
          "sense": "gear (setting) in a vehicle's transmission",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Rückwärtsgang"
        }
      ],
      "wikidata": [
        "Q2203464"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Mechanical engineering",
          "orig": "en:Mechanical engineering",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "30 64 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "26 59 16",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "30 63 7",
          "kind": "other",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
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        {
          "_dis": "27 67 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "21 66 13",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Near-synonym: reversing gear"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              21,
              33
            ]
          ],
          "text": "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!",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A gear fitted to a machine which allows it to run in the direction opposite to normal operation."
      ],
      "id": "en-reverse_gear-en-noun-ByNgjDVo",
      "links": [
        [
          "mechanical engineering",
          "mechanical engineering"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(mechanical engineering) A gear fitted to a machine which allows it to run in the direction opposite to normal operation."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "reversing gear"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "engineering",
        "mechanical",
        "mechanical-engineering",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A backward movement; a retreating from a goal; an undoing progress instead of moving forward."
      ],
      "id": "en-reverse_gear-en-noun-I6jh8D77",
      "links": [
        [
          "backward",
          "backward"
        ],
        [
          "movement",
          "movement"
        ],
        [
          "retreating",
          "retreating"
        ],
        [
          "goal",
          "goal"
        ],
        [
          "undoing",
          "undoing"
        ],
        [
          "progress",
          "progress"
        ],
        [
          "moving forward",
          "move forward"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figurative) A backward movement; a retreating from a goal; an undoing progress instead of moving forward."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "figuratively",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "reverse gear"
}
{
  "categories": [
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    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with German translations"
  ],
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "reverse gears",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "reverse gear (countable and uncountable, plural reverse gears)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
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        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "en:Automotive"
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        {
          "text": "Near-synonym: reversing gear"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              4,
              16
            ]
          ],
          "text": "The reverse gear of a Ford Model T was engaged with a foot pedal.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
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              0,
              12
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1962 April, “Beyond the Channel: Western Germany: The Henschel 4,000 h.p. V320 diesel”, in Modern Railways, page 274:",
          "text": "Reverse gear, air-operated, is incorporated in the transmission.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              65,
              77
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2021 October 6, Paul Stephen, “Network News: Labour: build HS2 and NPR and end \"paper promises\"”, in RAIL, number 941, page 25:",
          "text": "It's a chance to get transport investment in this country out of reverse gear - a chance to end paper promises.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "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.)"
      ],
      "hypernyms": [
        {
          "word": "gear"
        }
      ],
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          "automotive"
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          "transmission"
        ],
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          "backward",
          "backward"
        ],
        [
          "R",
          "R#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(automotive) 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.)"
      ],
      "senseid": [
        "en:Q2203464"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "reverse"
        },
        {
          "word": "reversing gear"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "automotive",
        "transport",
        "vehicles"
      ],
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    },
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      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Near-synonym: reversing gear"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              21,
              33
            ]
          ],
          "text": "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!",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A gear fitted to a machine which allows it to run in the direction opposite to normal operation."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "mechanical engineering",
          "mechanical engineering"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(mechanical engineering) A gear fitted to a machine which allows it to run in the direction opposite to normal operation."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "reversing gear"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "engineering",
        "mechanical",
        "mechanical-engineering",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A backward movement; a retreating from a goal; an undoing progress instead of moving forward."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "backward",
          "backward"
        ],
        [
          "movement",
          "movement"
        ],
        [
          "retreating",
          "retreating"
        ],
        [
          "goal",
          "goal"
        ],
        [
          "undoing",
          "undoing"
        ],
        [
          "progress",
          "progress"
        ],
        [
          "moving forward",
          "move forward"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figurative) A backward movement; a retreating from a goal; an undoing progress instead of moving forward."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "figuratively",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "lang_code": "de",
      "sense": "gear (setting) in a vehicle's transmission",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Rückwärtsgang"
    }
  ],
  "word": "reverse gear"
}

Download raw JSONL data for reverse gear meaning in English (3.7kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-08-20 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-08-05 using wiktextract (872fc7b and 4deed51). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.