grinding gears

Meanings

1. 1phrasefixed phrase

   The harsh scraping noise made when gears in a vehicle are changed badly or the parts are not matching properly.

   Grammar: Often follows hear or the sound of: I heard grinding gears.

   Patterns

   • the sound of grinding gears
   • hear grinding gears

   I could hear grinding gears as the learner driver changed up.

   The truck climbed the hill with a noise of grinding gears.

   Grinding gears usually mean the clutch is not fully pressed.

2. 2phraseidiomfigurative

   Working slowly, awkwardly or with strain, said of a plan, process or person that is struggling to proceed.

   Grammar: Used figuratively: the project is grinding its gears.

   Patterns

   • grinding gears over something

   The committee is grinding gears on the budget again.

   My brain was grinding gears before the coffee kicked in.

   The old system keeps grinding gears whenever many users log in.

Common combinations

the sound of grinding gears

The sound of grinding gears told us the car was in trouble.

hear grinding gears

I could hear grinding gears from the next street.

grinding gears in the car

Grinding gears in the car warn of a clutch problem.

stop grinding gears

He needs to stop grinding gears on the hill.

start grinding gears

The economy started grinding gears again.

Synonyms and how they differ

crunching

Crunching suggests the same noise but is less specifically about a gearbox.

struggling

Struggling is a plain figurative word, while grinding gears gives a mechanical image.

stalling

Stalling means stopping altogether, not just working with a harsh effort.

Opposites

Word family

grind verb

to crush or rub harshly

grinder noun

a machine that grinds

gear noun

a toothed wheel in a machine

gearbox noun

the housing for a vehicle's gears

Commonly confused: grinding gears or gnashing teeth?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “grinding gears”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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