Sheer has 14 different meanings across 4 categories:
Verb · Adjective · Adverb · Proper Noun
A sheer curtain or fabric.
"The sheer of the ship's hull rose dramatically as it cut through the waves."
The curve of the main deck or gunwale from bow to stern.
In plain English: Sheer is nothing but an old-fashioned word for fabric that is so thin you can see right through it.
"The mountain climber slipped on the sheer rock face and had to use her ropes to stop falling."
Usage: As a noun, sheer refers specifically to the vertical drop or slope of a ship's side and should not be confused with its adjective form meaning "transparent." Use this term only when describing nautical structures like gunwales; for fabrics that are thin enough to see through, use the adjective instead.
To swerve from a course.
"The pilot had to sheer away sharply when he spotted an iceberg ahead."
complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers
"absolute freedom"
"an absolute dimwit"
"a downright lie"
"out-and-out mayhem"
"an out-and-out lie"
"a rank outsider"
"many right-down vices"
"got the job through sheer persistence"
"sheer stupidity"
so thin as to transmit light
"a hat with a diaphanous veil"
"filmy wings of a moth"
"gauzy clouds of dandelion down"
"gossamer cobwebs"
"sheer silk stockings"
"transparent chiffon"
"vaporous silks"
Very thin or transparent.
"The sheer curtains allowed the morning light to filter softly into the room."
straight up or down without a break
"The climber scaled the sheer rock face until he reached the summit."
Clean; quite; at once.
"The sheer suddenness of her departure left everyone stunned before they could even react."
A surname.
"Mr. Sheer was elected to represent his district on the city council."
Sheer comes from the Old English word sċǣre, which originally meant "shining" or "clear." Over time, this sense of brightness evolved to describe something that is pure and unadulterated.