shear

Meanings

Verb

• To cut, originally with a sword or other bladed weapon, now usually with shears, or as if using shears.
• To remove the fleece from a sheep etc. by clipping.
• To cut the hair of (a person).
• To deform because of forces pushing in opposite directions.
• (of wind) To change in direction and/or speed.
• To transform by displacing every point in a direction parallel to some given line by a distance proportional to the point’s distance from the line.
• To make a vertical cut in coal.
• To reap, as grain.
• To deprive of property; to fleece.

Noun

• A cutting tool similar to scissors, but often larger.
• A large machine use for cutting sheet metal.
• The act of shearing, or something removed by shearing.
• Forces that push in opposite directions.
• Wind shear, or an instance thereof.
• A transformation that displaces every point in a direction parallel to some given line by a distance proportional to the point’s distance from the line.
• The response of a rock to deformation usually by compressive stress, resulting in particular textures.

Adjective

• Misspelling of sheer

Origin

• From Middle English sheren, scheren, from Old English sċieran, from Proto-West Germanic *skeran, from Proto-Germanic *skeraną, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker-.
• Cognate with West Frisian skeare, Low German scheren, Dutch scheren, German scheren, Danish skære, Norwegian Bokmål skjære, Norwegian Nynorsk skjera, Swedish skära; and with Ancient Greek κείρω, Latin caro, Albanian shqerr, harr, Lithuanian skìrti, Welsh ysgar. See also sharp.