shear

1 of 2

verb

sheared; sheared or shorn ˈshȯrn How to pronounce shear (audio) ; shearing

transitive verb

1
a
: to cut off the hair from
b
: to cut or clip (hair, wool, etc.) from someone or something
also : to cut something from
shear a lawn
c
chiefly Scotland : to reap with a sickle
d
: to cut or trim with shears or a similar instrument
2
: to cut with something sharp
3
: to deprive of something as if by cutting
lives shorn of any hopeM. W. Browne
4
a
: to subject to a shear force
b
: to cause (something, such as a rock mass) to move along the plane of contact

intransitive verb

1
: to cut through something with or as if with a sharp instrument
2
chiefly Scotland : to reap crops with a sickle
3
: to become divided under the action of a shear
shearer noun

shear

2 of 2

noun

1
a(1)
: a cutting implement similar or identical to a pair of scissors but typically larger
usually used in plural
(2)
: one blade of a pair of shears
b
: any of various cutting tools or machines operating by the action of opposed cutting edges of metal
usually used in plural
c(1)
: something resembling a shear or a pair of shears
(2)
: a hoisting apparatus consisting of two or sometimes more upright spars fastened together at their upper ends and having tackle for masting or dismasting ships or lifting heavy loads (such as guns)
usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction
2
chiefly British : the action or process or an instance of shearing
used in combination to indicate the approximate age of sheep in terms of shearings undergone
3
a
: internal force tangential to the section on which it acts

called also shearing force

b
: an action or stress resulting from applied forces that causes or tends to cause two contiguous parts of a body to slide relatively to each other in a direction parallel to their plane of contact

Examples of shear in a Sentence

Verb The farmers sheared the sheep. The farmers sheared the wool from the sheep.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Stirring a cup of water produces a shearing force, and the water shears to move out of the way. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 5 Dec. 2023 But for non-Newtonian fluids like oobleck, the viscosity changes when a shearing force is applied. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 5 Dec. 2023 Outside of Native communities, the conventional explanation had long been that the Coast Salish themselves lost interest in breeding and shearing the dogs once cheaper fibers and blankets became available. Alicia Ault, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Jan. 2024 When a new snowfall dumps on top of it, the grains in the weak layer can shear, creating a surface for an avalanche to slide on. CBS News, 11 Jan. 2024 These fibers usually came from shearing sheep, goats, alpacas, and other animals. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 5 Jan. 2024 The biggest expense is labor, with about 30 percent of a tree’s cost tied to year-round care — from shearing and shaping it by hand, to the frenetic cutting season after Thanksgiving, when up to 40 people work. Stefanos Chen Bryan Anselm, New York Times, 18 Dec. 2023 They are sheared at different lengths and angles for different types of carpet, resulting in a wide variety of styles, heights, and thicknesses. Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Dec. 2023 It can be closely sheared to create formal hedges or topiary shapes. Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2023
Noun
To begin any arrangement, use floral shears or sharp scissors to cut the end of each flower at a 45-degree angle, and strip the foliage from the part of the stems that will be submerged in water. Michelle Brunner, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023 Consider this another opportunity to add to your tending tools, like these bonsai shears and propagation vessels that both keep tasks tidy. 9. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 10 Jan. 2024 Stirring a cup of water produces a shearing force, and the water shears to move out of the way. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 5 Dec. 2023 Good quality hair shears are key for trimming any hair length and hair type. Akili King, Vogue, 28 Nov. 2023 Use these $8 kitchen shears for everything from cutting up poultry to slicing through a homemade pizza crust. Stephanie Osmanski, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2023 Indeed, as forecaster Michael Lowry pointed out in his Eye on the Tropics newsletter, some modeling indicates shear may relax toward the end of August. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 1 Aug. 2023 To prep for the evening, Roszak first got out her shears, giving Stone’s hair a fresh new shape. Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2024 Disinfect pruning shears, saws, loppers and other cutting tools before and between plants to avoid spreading diseases and pests from one plant to the next. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English sheren, from Old English scieran; akin to Old Norse skera to cut, Latin curtus mutilated, curtailed, Greek keirein to cut, shear, Sanskrit kṛnāti he injures

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of shear was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near shear

Cite this Entry

“Shear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shear. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

shear

1 of 2 verb
sheared; sheared or shorn ˈshō(ə)rn How to pronounce shear (audio)
ˈshȯ(ə)rn
; shearing
1
: to cut the hair or wool from
shearing sheep
2
: to deprive of by or as if by cutting off
shorn of power
3
: to become divided under the action of a shear
the bolt may shear off
shearer noun

shear

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: a cutting tool similar or identical to a pair of scissors but typically larger
usually used in plural
b
: any of various cutting tools or machines operating by the action of opposed cutting edges of metal
usually used in plural
2
: an action or force that causes or tends to cause two parts of a body to slide on each other in a direction parallel to their plane of contact

More from Merriam-Webster on shear

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!