shears

British  

/ ʃɪəz /

plural noun

1. 1. large scissors, as for cutting cloth, jointing poultry, etc

   2. a large scissor-like and usually hand-held cutting tool with flat blades, as for cutting hedges

2. any of various analogous cutting or clipping implements or machines

3. short for sheerlegs

4. informal (of a sheep) newly shorn

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Example Sentences

I slipped on waterproof shoes, grabbed a pair of shears and, still in my pajamas, tiptoed down the grand staircase of the château and out onto the dewy grass of the garden.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

"I get the sheep shears on it for a mullet," she said.

From BBC • Jul. 24, 2024

As our planet’s atmosphere warms, wind shears — variations in wind direction or speed — within jet streams are increasing and therefore strengthening clear-air turbulence.

From Seattle Times • May 24, 2024

Derick Hembd, president of Sixco Nevada, said the governor’s proposal calls for using shears and saws to harvest individual trees, leaving saplings and sagebrush untouched.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2024

Starry hunts in a drawer and finds a pair of shears.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins