worm gear

/ˌwʌrm ˈgɪər/
IPA guide

Other forms: worm gears

Definitions of worm gear
  1. noun
    gear consisting of a shaft with screw thread (the worm) that meshes with a toothed wheel (the worm wheel); changes the direction of the axis of rotary motion
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    type of:
    cogwheel, gear, gear wheel, geared wheel
    a toothed wheel that engages another toothed mechanism in order to change the speed or direction of transmitted motion
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