General
gear adrift
What does gear adrift mean?
Any piece of kit left unattended. The full saying is 'gear adrift is a gift' — meaning whoever finds it gets to keep it, with zero guilt and zero return policy. A core lesson of boot camp: track your shit or somebody else will.
"He left his Kevlar on the bench for five minutes. Gear adrift — it's mine now."
Origin
Nautical: 'adrift' meant unsecured cargo or equipment sliding around the deck — a hazard. The Marine adage is 'gear adrift is a gift'.
Frequently asked questions
What does gear adrift mean?
Gear adrift means kit or equipment left unattended — the idea being if you leave it, you lose it.
How do you use gear adrift in a sentence?
"Gear adrift is a gift — don't leave your bag lying about."
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