sheer

¹

[ sheer ]

adjective

, sheer·er, sheer·est.

1. transparently thin; diaphanous, as some fabrics:

   sheer silk.

   Antonyms: opaque

2. unmixed with anything else:

   We drilled a hundred feet through sheer rock.

   Synonyms: unadulterated, pure, simple, mere

3. unqualified; utter:

   sheer nonsense.

   Synonyms: downright, absolute

4. extending down or up very steeply; almost completely vertical:

   a sheer descent of rock.

   Synonyms: precipitous, abrupt

5. British Obsolete. bright; shining.

adverb

1. clear; completely; clean:

   ran sheer into the thick of battle.

   Synonyms: entirely, totally

2. perpendicularly; vertically; down or up very steeply.

noun

1. a thin, diaphanous material, as chiffon or voile.

sheer

²

[ sheer ]

verb (used without object)

1. to deviate from a course, as a ship; swerve.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to sheer.
2. Shipbuilding. to give sheer to (a hull).

noun

1. a deviation or divergence, as of a ship from its course; swerve.
2. Shipbuilding. the fore-and-aft upward curve of the hull of a vessel at the main deck or bulwarks.
3. Nautical. the position in which a ship at anchor is placed to keep it clear of the anchor.

sheer

¹

/ ʃɪə /

verb

1. to deviate or cause to deviate from a course
2. intr to avoid an unpleasant person, thing, topic, etc

noun

1. the upward sweep of the deck or bulwarks of a vessel
2. nautical the position of a vessel relative to its mooring

sheer

²

/ ʃɪə /

adjective

1. perpendicular; very steep

   a sheer cliff

2. (of textiles) so fine as to be transparent
3. prenominal absolute; unmitigated

   sheer folly

4. obsolete.
   bright or shining

adverb

1. steeply or perpendicularly
2. completely or absolutely

noun

1. any transparent fabric used for making garments

Derived Forms

• ˈsheerness, noun
• ˈsheerly, adverb

Other Words From

• sheerly adverb
• sheerness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sheer¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English scere, shere, schere “free, clear, bright, thin”; probably from Old Norse skǣrr; change of sk- from s(c)h- perhaps by influence of the related Old English scīr ( English dialect shire “clear, pure, thin”); cognate with German schier, Old Norse skīr, Gothic skeirs “clear”

Origin of sheer²

First recorded in 1620–30; of uncertain origin; perhaps a special use of sheer ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of sheer¹

C17: perhaps variant of shear

Origin of sheer²

Old English scīr; related to Old Norse skīrr bright, Gothic skeirs clear, Middle High German schīr

Example Sentences

Many MPs feel it is an urgent problem because of the sheer numbers involved.

From BBC

Adele told BBC News: "I only realised how close I was to dying, when I was momentarily in the recovery room. I felt sheer panic that I may never see my husband or children again."

From BBC

The sheer humiliation at being denied wasn't what nearly drove me mad, though.

From Salon

The performance, for all its forcefulness and sheer brute, was also full of delicacy and individuality.

From Los Angeles Times

The sheer number of coins meant that the hoard would have represented a "very considerable sum of cash" at the time it was buried, the expert said.

From BBC

Related Words

• outright
• pure
• simple
• unadulterated
• unalloyed
• unmitigated