to remove by or as if by cutting or clipping with a sharp instrument: to shear wool from sheep.
3.
to cut or clip the hair, fleece, wool, etc., from: to shear sheep.
4.
to strip or deprive (usually fol. by of): to shear someone of power.
5.
Chiefly Scot.to reap with a sickle.
6.
to travel through by or as if by cutting: Chimney swifts sheared the air.
–verb (used without object)
7.
to cut or cut through something with a sharp instrument.
8.
to progress by or as if by cutting: The cruiser sheared through the water.
9.
Mechanics,Geology. to become fractured along a plane as a result of forces acting parallel to the plane.
10.
Chiefly Scot.to reap crops with a sickle.
–noun
11.
Usually, shears.(sometimes used with a singular verb)
a.
scissors of large size (usually used with pair of).
b.
any of various other cutting implements or machines having two blades that resemble or suggest those of scissors.
12.
the act or process of shearing or being sheared.
13.
a shearing of sheep (used in stating the age of sheep): a sheep of one shear.
14.
the quantity, esp. of wool or fleece, cut off at one shearing.
15.
one blade of a pair of large scissors.
16.
Usually, shears.(usually used with a plural verb) Also, sheers.Also called shear legs, sheerlegs.a framework for hoisting heavy weights, consisting of two or more spars with their legs separated, fastened together near the top and steadied by guys, which support a tackle.
17.
a machine for cutting rigid material, as metal in sheet or plate form, by moving the edge of a blade through it.
18.
Mechanics,Geology. the tendency of forces to deform or fracture a member or a rock in a direction parallel to the force, as by sliding one section against another.
19.
Physics. the lateral deformation produced in a body by an external force, expressed as the ratio of the lateral displacement between two points lying in parallel planes to the vertical distance between the planes.
[Origin: bef. 900; (v.) ME sheren, OE sceran, c. D, G scheren, ON skera; (n.) (in sense “tool for shearing”) ME sheres (pl.), continuing OE scérero, scéar, two words derived from the same root as the v.]
v.
sheared, sheared or shorn (shôrn, shōrn), shear·ing, shears
v.
tr.
To remove (fleece or hair) by cutting or clipping.
To remove the hair or fleece from.
To cut with or as if with shears: shearing a hedge.
To divest or deprive as if by cutting: The prisoners were shorn of their dignity.
v.
intr.
To use a cutting tool such as shears.
To move or proceed by or as if by cutting: shear through the wheat.
Physics To become deformed by forces tending to produce a shearing strain.
n.
A pair of scissors. Often used in the plural.
Any of various implements or machines that cut with a scissorlike action. Often used in the plural.
An applied force or system of forces that tends to produce a shearing strain. Also called shearing stress, shear stress.
A shearing strain.
The act, process, or result of shearing.
Something cut off by shearing.
The act, process, or fact of shearing. Used to indicate a sheep's age: a two-shear ram.
also sheers (shîrz) (used with a sing. or pl. verb) An apparatus used to lift heavy weights, consisting of two or more spars joined at the top and spread at the base, the tackle being suspended from the top.
Physics
An applied force or system of forces that tends to produce a shearing strain. Also called shearing stress, shear stress.
A shearing strain.
[Middle English scheren, from Old English sceran; see sker-1 in Indo-European roots. N., from Middle English shere, from Old English scēar; see sker-1 in Indo-European roots.]
(physics) a deformation of an object in which parallel planes remain parallel but are shifted in a direction parallel to themselves; "the shear changed the quadrilateral into a parallelogram"
2.
a large edge tool that cuts sheet metal by passing a blade through it
A force, movement or pressure applied to an object perpendicular to a given axis, with greater value on one side of the axis than the other. See more at shear force, stress, strain.
Jeer\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Jeered; p. pr. & vb. n. Jeering.] [Perh. a corrup. of cheer to salute with cheers, taken in an ironical sense; or more prob. fr. D. gekscheren to jeer, lit., to shear the fool; gek a fool (see 1st Geck) + scheren to shear. See Shear, v.] To utter sarcastic or scoffing reflections; to speak with mockery or derision; to use taunting language; to scoff; as, to jeer at a speaker. But when he saw her toy and gibe and jeer. --Spenser. Syn: To sneer; scoff; flout; gibe; mock.
Score\ (sk[=o]r), n. [AS. scor twenty, fr. sceran, scieran, to shear, cut, divide; or rather the kindred Icel. skor incision, twenty, akin to Dan. skure a notch, Sw. sk[*a]ra. See Shear.]1. A notch or incision; especially, one that is made as a tally mark; hence, a mark, or line, made for the purpose of account. Whereas, before, our forefathers had no other books but the score and the tally, thou hast caused printing to be used. --Shak. 2. An account or reckoning; account of dues; bill; hence, indebtedness. He parted well, and paid his score. --Shak. 3. Account; reason; motive; sake; behalf. But left the trade, as many more Have lately done on the same score. --Hudibras. You act your kindness in Cydaria's score. --Dryden. 4. The number twenty, as being marked off by a special score or tally; hence, in pl., a large number. Amongst three or four score hogsheads. --Shak. At length the queen took upon herself to grant patents of monopoly by scores. --Macaulay. 5. A distance of twenty yards; -- a term used in ancient archery and gunnery. --Halliwell. 6. A weight of twenty pounds. [Prov. Eng.] 7. The number of points gained by the contestants, or either of them, in any game, as in cards or cricket. 8. A line drawn; a groove or furrow. 9. (Mus.) The original and entire draught, or its transcript, of a composition, with the parts for all the different instruments or voices written on staves one above another, so that they can be read at a glance; -- so called from the bar, which, in its early use, was drawn through all the parts. --Moore (Encyc. of Music). In score (Mus.), having all the parts arranged and placed in juxtaposition. --Smart. To quit scores, to settle or balance accounts; to render an equivalent; to make compensation. Does not the earth quit scores with all the elements in the noble fruits that issue from it? --South.
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Audio Help [sheer] Pronunciation Key verb, sheared, sheared or shorn, shear·ing, noun 
