(physics) a deformation of an object in which parallel planes remain parallel but are shifted in a direction parallel to themselves
"the shear changed the quadrilateral into a parallelogram"
a large edge tool that cuts sheet metal by passing a blade through it
"The factory uses a heavy shear to cut the thick sheet metal into precise rectangular pieces."
A cutting tool similar to scissors, but often larger.
"The farmer used a large pair of shears to trim the wool off the sheep."
In plain English: Shear is the force that pushes two parts of an object in opposite directions until they slide apart.
"The sheep needs to be sheared before winter arrives."
become deformed by forces tending to produce a shearing strain
"The metal beam began to shear under the immense lateral pressure from the earthquake."
To cut, originally with a sword or other bladed weapon, now usually with shears, or as if using shears.
"The thief attempted to shear the victim's coat pocket without being noticed."
In plain English: To shear means to cut something off with sharp edges, usually by pulling it away from what it is attached to.
"The sheep farmer used special tools to shear all his flock before winter arrived."
Usage: Use the verb "shear" when describing an action that cuts cleanly through material like wool or hair, typically implying a single sweeping motion rather than repeated snipping. This distinguishes it from general terms for cutting and emphasizes the specific use of shears or similar tools to remove bulk quickly.
Misspelling of sheer.
"The editor corrected the misspelling of sheer to shear in the final draft."
A surname.
"Mr. Shear introduced himself as the new manager at the bank."
Shear comes from the Middle English word sheren, which was borrowed from Old English sċieran meaning "to shear" or "to shave." This ancient root ultimately traces back to a Proto-Indo-European term for cutting.