shear

English

/ʃɪə(ɹ)/, /ʃiɹ/, /ʃɛə/

verb
Definitions
  • To cut, originally with a sword or other bladed weapon, now usually with shears, or as if using shears.
  • To remove the fleece from a sheep etc by clipping.
  • (physics) To deform because of forces pushing in opposite directions.
  • (mathematics) To transform by displacing every point in a direction parallel to some given line by a distance proportional to the point’s distance from the line.
  • (mining) To make a vertical cut in the coal.
  • (Scotland) To reap, as grain.
  • (figurative) To deprive of property; to fleece.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English sheren inherited from Old English sċieran (cut) inherited from *skeran inherited from Proto-Germanic *skeraną (shear, shave, cut) derived from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (cut, turn, bend, cut off, curve, divide, wrinkle, scrape, sever, shorten, split, dry, jump, move, in the sense of an enclosure, shrink, swing, part, skimp), *(s)ker- (cut, turn, bend, cut off, curve, divide, wrinkle, scrape, sever, shorten, split, dry, jump, move, in the sense of an enclosure, shrink, swing, part, skimp).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*(s)ker-

Gloss

cut, turn, bend, cut off, curve, divide, wrinkle, scrape, sever, shorten, split, dry, jump, move, in the sense of an enclosure, shrink, swing, part, skimp

Concept
Semantic Field

Basic actions and technology

Ontological Category

Action/Process

Kanji

踊

Emoji
✂️ ✂️ 🎬️

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms