reverse gear

English

Noun

reverse gear (plural reverse gears) (mechanical engineering)

1. A gear in a vehicle transmission which, when selected, makes the vehicle to move in the direction the driver has the back.
   • 1962 April, “Beyond the Channel: Western Germany: The Henschel 4,000 h.p. V320 diesel”, in Modern Railways, page 274:

     Reverse gear, air-operated, is incorporated in the transmission.

   • 2021 October 6, Paul Stephen, “Network News: Labour: build HS2 and NPR and end "paper promises"”, in RAIL, number 941, page 25:

     It's a chance to get transport investment in this country out of reverse gear - a chance to end paper promises.

2. A gear fitted to a machine which allows it to run in the opposite direction to normal.

See also

• reversing gear

References

• “reverse gear”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.