Shear Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary (original) (raw)

Britannica Dictionary definition of SHEAR

[+ object]

1

a

:

to cut the hair, wool, etc., off (an animal)

• The farmers sheared the sheep.

b

:

to cut off (an animal's hair, wool, etc.)

• The farmers sheared the wool from the sheep.

— often + off

• The farmers sheared off the wool from the sheep.

2

:

to cut off a person's hair

— usually used as (be) shorn

• His long locks were shorn.
• the monk's shorn head

3

literary

:

to take something away from (someone)

— usually used as (be) shorn

• a tyrant who has been shorn of power [=a tyrant whose power has been taken away]

1

:

to become separated suddenly because of great force

• The excess weight caused the bolt to shear off.

2

shear (something) off

or

shear off (something)

:

to remove (something) with great force

• The impact of the crash sheared off the airplane's wing.

— shearer

noun,

plural

shearers

[count]