to move through the gears - Glite Dictionary

Examples

The team began to move through the gears as they adjusted to the new project.
With each milestone, he managed to move through the gears more quickly.
Once she found her confidence, she could move through the gears with ease.
He can move through the gears quickly when he is confident.
Once she found her confidence, she could move through the gears with ease.
As the project progressed, the team was able to move through the gears more efficiently.
With each successful presentation, he learned to move through the gears of the task much faster.

Synonyms

to get in gear

vsto move through the gears

Informal

3 4.2

Start working more actively and getting more done

is about progressing smoothly through stages, not only initial start

to get one's ass in gear

vsto move through the gears

Offensive

2 9.9

Start working quickly and with more energy

is calmer progression through stages, not an urgent push

to go into high gear

vsto move through the gears

1 4.4

To start working faster and harder

is about steady stage by stage improvement rather than sudden intensity rise

to click into gear

vsto move through the gears

Informal

4.2

To start working well and fast after a slow time

is about steady improvement across stages as confidence grows

to shift into fourth gear

vsto move through the gears

5.8

To start working faster and try harder to reach a goal

is gradual progression through stages rather than a sudden big increase

Antonyms

to regress

24 7.5

To return to an earlier, less developed or worse state

to stagnate

19 6.8

To stop growing or changing and stay the same, like water in a pond

How Effective

to excel

58 3.7

to hit one's stride

Informal

3 6.5

to move through the gears

UK

5.7

to find one's feet

Informal

5.6

to struggle

851 2.8

Surface Forms

move through the gears infinitive

moved through the gears past

moved through the gears past participle

moving through the gears present participle

moves through the gears third person singular

Morphology

move + through + the + gear

The phrase relies on a metaphorical extension from the literal action of shifting a vehicle's gears to changing speed or level of performance; a learner who knows 'move', 'through' and 'gear' may infer the general idea of progressing through stages but must map mechanical shifting to task performance. This mapping is partially predictable but requires cultural/experiential knowledge (familiarity with vehicles and gear changes), so the sense is not fully compositional for a B1 learner without exposure.

Etymology

Move through the gears comes from driving a car: when a driver moves through the gears, the car goes from slow to fast and runs more smoothly. So to move through the gears now means 'to progress smoothly' or 'become more effective' as you gain speed and confidence.