gear up

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

gear up (third-person singular simple present gears up, present participle gearing up, simple past and past participle geared up)

1. (intransitive or reflexive, idiomatic) To prepare for an activity.

   The hardware store is gearing up for spring in February with garden supplies and seeds.

   We're gearing ourselves up for a busy week ahead.

   • 2021 June 2, Stefanie Foster, “Network News: £80m upgrades and renewals on Bank Holiday”, in RAIL, number 932, page 23:

     As this issue of RAIL went to press, NR was gearing up to deliver a further £80m of upgrades over the Late May Bank Holiday (May 29-31), across 620 projects.

2. (intransitive, idiomatic) To put on special clothing or equipment.
   • 2002, E. J. Duck, Heroes on Quads, page 68:

     The soldiers geared up and loaded onto the assault craft. They would have a forty-five minute ride to the beach.

Anagrams

• Prague, upgear