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

Appearing with a shaved head, Alcaraz said his brother had a mishap with the shears when giving him a trim, leaving him no choice but to opt for a buzz-cut.

From BBC • Sep. 8, 2025

That means buying fresh lobsters from your local market, boiling them and using kitchen shears to slice their shells from head to tail.

From Salon • Sep. 1, 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

He wore a pair of stained olive-green overalls without a shirt underneath, and he had a broad utility belt holding pruning shears, twine, a hand rake, and a trowel.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda