sheer

¹sheer

verb \ˈshir\

Definition of SHEER

intransitive verb

: to deviate from a course : swerve

transitive verb

: to cause to sheer

Examples of SHEER

1. <the cruise ship sheered to the northwest, putting it safely out of the path of the hurricane>
2. <the car sheered to avoid hitting the dog>

Origin of SHEER

perhaps alteration of ¹shear

First Known Use: 1539

Related to SHEER

Synonyms

detour, deviate, diverge, turn, swerve, swing, turn off, veer, wheel

Antonyms

straighten

Related Words

tack, zigzag; double (back), turn back

Rhymes with SHEER

beer, bier, blear, cere, cheer, clear, dear, deer, Deere, drear, ear, fear, fere, fleer, gear, hear, here, jeer, leer, mere, mir, near, peer, pier, Pierre, queer, rear, schmear, sear, seer, sere, shear, skirr, smear, sneer, spear, speer, sphere, steer, tear, tier, Trier, Tyr, veer, weir, year

²sheer

noun

Definition of SHEER

1

: a turn, deviation, or change in a course (as of a ship)

2

: the position of a ship riding to a single anchor and heading toward it

First Known Use of SHEER

1670

³sheer

adjective

Definition of SHEER

1

obsolete : bright, shining

2

: of very thin or transparent texture : diaphanous

3

a : unqualified, utter <sheer folly> <sheer ignorance>

b : being free from an adulterant : pure, unmixed

c : viewed or acting in dissociation from all else <in terms of sheer numbers>

4

: marked by great and continuous steepness

— sheer·ly adverb

— sheer·ness noun

Examples of SHEER

1. a sheer drop to the sea
2. <we had to get window shades because passersby could see right through our sheer curtains>

Origin of SHEER

Middle English schere freed from guilt, probably alteration of skere, from Old Norse skærr pure; akin to Old English scīnan to shine

First Known Use: circa 1568

Related to SHEER

Synonyms

cobwebby, diaphanous, filmy, gauzelike, gauzy, gossamer, gossamery, see-through, transparent

Antonyms

easy

Related Words

peekaboo; clear, crystal, crystalline, limpid, liquid, lucent, pellucid; lucid, translucent; dainty, delicate, flimsy, fragile, frail, insubstantial, unsubstantial; colorless, uncolored

Near Antonyms

opaque; cloudy, foggy, hazy, misty, murky, nebulous, smoky (also smokey); drab, dull, lackluster, lusterless

See Synonym Discussion at steep

⁴sheer

adverb

Definition of SHEER

1

: in a complete manner : altogether

2

: straight up or down without a break : perpendicularly

Examples of SHEER

1. mountains rising sheer from the plains

First Known Use of SHEER

1599

⁵sheer

noun

Definition of SHEER

: a sheer fabric; also : an article of such a fabric

First Known Use of SHEER

circa 1920

⁶sheer

noun

Definition of SHEER

: the fore-and-aft curvature from bow to stern of a ship's deck as shown in side elevation

Origin of SHEER

perhaps alteration of ²shear

First Known Use: 1691