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sheer
sheer1 / shi(ə)r/ • adj. 1. nothing other than; unmitigated (used for emphasis): she giggled with sheer delight marriage is sheer hard work. 2. (esp. of a cliff or wall) perpendicular or nearly so: the sheer ice walls. 3. (of a fabric) very thin; diaphanous: sheer white silk chiffon. • adv. 1. perpendicularly: the ridge fell sheer, in steep crags. 2. archaic completely; right: she went sheer forward when the door was open. • n. a very fine or diaphanous fabric or article. DERIVATIVES: sheer·ly adv. sheer·ness n. sheer2 • v. [intr.] (typically of a boat or ship) swerve or change course quickly: the boat sheered off to beach further up the coast. ∎ fig. avoid or move away from an unpleasant topic: her mind sheered away from images she didn't want to dwell on. • n. a sudden deviation from a course, esp. by a boat. sheer3 • n. the upward slope of a ship's lines toward the bow and stern. |
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Cite this article
"sheer." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "sheer." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-sheer.html "sheer." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-sheer.html |
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sheer
sheer.
1. The upward curve of the deck of a ship towards the bows and stern, with the lowest point in the waist. Reverse sheer, a downward curve of the deck level towards the bows and stern, the highest deck level being amidships. Some yachts have been built to this principle to provide more headroom below deck. 2. The angle which a ship takes to its cable when lying to an anchor, caused by the effects of wind and/or tide. |
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"sheer." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "sheer." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-sheer.html "sheer." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-sheer.html |
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sheer
sheer1 †bright, shining; (of fabrics) thin, fine; unmixed, unqualified XVI; rising perpendicularly without a break XVIII. prob. alt. of (dial.) shire clear, pure, mere, thin, weak, OE. sċīr = OS. skīr(i), ON. skírr, Goth. skeirs :- Gmc. *skīraz, *skīrjaz, f. *skí- SHINE.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "sheer." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "sheer." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-sheer.html T. F. HOAD. "sheer." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-sheer.html |
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sheer
sheer 1 v. (typically of a boat or ship) swerve or change course quickly: the boat sheered off to beach further up the coast.
n. a sudden deviation from a course, especially by a boat. |
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"sheer." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "sheer." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-sheer.html "sheer." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-sheer.html |
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sheer
sheer2 (of a ship) turn aside. XVII. perh. — (M)LG., (M)HG. scheren; identical with SHEAR.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "sheer." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "sheer." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-sheer1.html T. F. HOAD. "sheer." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-sheer1.html |
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sheer
sheer 2 n. the upward slope of a ship's lines toward the bow and stern.
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Cite this article
"sheer." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "sheer." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-sheer1.html "sheer." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-sheer1.html |
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sheer
sheer3 (naut.) curve of a ship. XVII. prob. f. SHEAR.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "sheer." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "sheer." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-sheer2.html T. F. HOAD. "sheer." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-sheer2.html |
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sheer
sheer (kheer) Indian; creamed‐rice dessert.
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DAVID A. BENDER. "sheer." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. DAVID A. BENDER. "sheer." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-sheer.html DAVID A. BENDER. "sheer." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O39-sheer.html |
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sheer
sheer
•adhere, Agadir, appear, arrear, auctioneer, austere, balladeer, bandolier, Bashkir, beer, besmear, bier, blear, bombardier, brigadier, buccaneer, cameleer, career, cashier, cavalier, chandelier, charioteer, cheer, chevalier, chiffonier, clavier, clear, Coetzee, cohere, commandeer, conventioneer, Cordelier, corsetière, Crimea, dear, deer, diarrhoea (US diarrhea), domineer, Dorothea, drear, ear, electioneer, emir, endear, engineer, fear, fleer, Freer, fusilier, gadgeteer, Galatea, gazetteer, gear, gondolier, gonorrhoea (US gonorrhea), Greer, grenadier, hear, here, Hosea, idea, interfere, Izmir, jeer, Judaea, Kashmir, Keir, kir, Korea, Lear, leer, Maria, marketeer, Medea, Meir, Melilla, mere, Mia, Mir, mishear, mountaineer, muleteer, musketeer, mutineer, near, orienteer, pamphleteer, panacea, paneer, peer, persevere, pier, Pierre, pioneer, pistoleer, privateer, profiteer, puppeteer, queer, racketeer, ratafia, rear, revere, rhea, rocketeer, Sapir, scrutineer, sear, seer, sere, severe, Shamir, shear, sheer, sincere, smear, sneer, sonneteer, souvenir, spear, sphere, steer, stere, summiteer, Tangier, tear, tier, Trier, Tyr, veer, veneer, Vere, Vermeer, vizier, volunteer, Wear, weir, we're, year, Zaïre
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Cite this article
"sheer." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 28 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "sheer." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 28, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-sheer.html "sheer." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-sheer.html |
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