Guild Wars 2

English is not my first language. Is “gears” (meaning multiple pieces of equipment) a real word? Or is it just some people trying to be cute?

It’s a real word (although it will begin to sound weird if you say it repeatedly).

I prefer to use the word ‘equips’ for equipment instead of ‘gears’, but they generally mean the same thing.

When somebody says their “Gear is good” or wants to see your “gear” they mean what armor/trinkets/weapons you have equipped.

Yes, but it wouldn’t be used that way.

“Gear” can mean a wheel with sprockets that spins next to another wheel with sprockets.

“Gears” can mean multiple “gears”, as in, “a grandfather clock has many gears”.

“Gear”, in game context, usually means ones collection of equipment. “I bought my gear at that Karma vendor next to MacDonalds.” In this case, “gear” isn’t plural, because the gear is the collection, not individual pieces.

One COULD use it plural, but it would be kind of stilted. “I have 7 gears.” Meaning that character has seven sets of multiple gear items. Most people would consider that bad grammar, but it technically could be acceptable. However, it should really be “I have 7 sets of gear”, where “sets” is the plural. Alternately, “I have 7 gearsets” would work as well.

So, no, it’s probably not a good way to say it, but it could be right.

Now if I could just get the people to stop verbally speaking “lawl”, meaning “Laughing Out Loud” (abbreviated LOL in chat sessions).

Daddicus.6128:

Now if I could just get the people to stop verbally speaking “lawl”, meaning “Laughing Out Loud” (abbreviated LOL in chat sessions).

Yeah, this kinda creeped me out a little the first time I heard it.