A mechanical component in a vehicle or machine that contains gears and transfers power from the engine to the wheels, allowing speed changes.
Compound of 'gear' (from Old Norse gervi meaning equipment) and 'box' (container). The term emerged in the late 19th century as cars were invented and needed a way to describe this mechanical transmission system.
Modern cars are shifting to automatic gearboxes that use computers to change gears, but the principle is exactly the same as when manual transmissions required drivers to shift by hand. It's basically a mechanical translator between engine speed and wheel speed.
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