ont of gear
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Not in working condition, when the "gearing" does not act properly; out of health.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “ont of gear” mean?
Not in working condition, when the "gearing" does not act properly; out of health.
Is “ont of gear” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.