shear
verb 1
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument <it took almost a week to shear all the wool off the flock of sheep> Synonyms bob,
crop,
cut,
cut back,
dock,
lop (off),
nip,
pare,
poll,
prune,
shave,
shear,
snip,
trim 2
to penetrate with a sharp edge (as a knife) <the shark's razor-sharp teeth sheared the swimmer's flesh right down to the bone> Related Words crosscut,
hacksaw,
saw,
scissor;
cleave,
rive,
split;
pierce,
stab;
bruise,
butcher,
hack,
haggle,
lacerate,
mangle;
rend,
tear;
carve,
chip,
chisel,
notch;
anatomize,
dissect,
section;
chop,
dice,
mince;
amputate,
cut off,
sever 
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