A mechanism or lever that allows a driver to change gears in a vehicle, controlling which gear ratio is engaged.
Compound of 'gear' and 'shift' (to change or move). Emerged as a standard automotive term in the early 20th century with the development of manual transmissions.
The humble gearshift changed transportation forever—before automatic transmissions, drivers had to be mechanics too, manually shifting gears in a coordinated dance with the clutch pedal.
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