shift gears

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

shift gears (third-person singular simple present shifts gears, present participle shifting gears, simple past and past participle shifted gears)

1. To change the gear by which motion is transmitted from a powered shaft to another shaft, especially in a motor vehicle.
2. (idiomatic) To change pace or mode of operation.

Related terms

• shifter
• stickshift

 

Translations

change the gear by which motion is transmitted

• Italian: cambiare marcia

change mode of operation

• Italian: cambiare marcia

See also

• automatic transmission
• gearbox
• manual transmission

 

Anagrams

• gear shifts, gearshifts