sheer English · revision 10474

+ Sheer, pure or steep, is probably an alteration of shire, bright, pure; sheer, to swerve, is a nautical word probably from Dutch or Low German scheren.^(Hoad 1986)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ʃɪə̯/ ''(UK)''; /ʃɪɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

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+ {{homograph|1|pure, steep}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1200|origins=ang scīr}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English schere, probably an alteration of the dialect shire, bright, clear, pure, [[inh|ang|scīr|t=bright, clear, translucent, pure]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) perhaps influenced by Old Norse skǽrr, bright, clean,^(Etymonline) from Proto-Germanic *skīraz, from the root of [[shine]].^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Exempt, free from guilt: about 1200, as in Sheer Thursday, the Thursday of Holy Week.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Thin, sparse is from about 1400.^(Etymonline) Of fabrics, diaphanous, very thin and delicate, it is from the 1560s.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) The sense absolute, utter, as ''sheer nonsense'', developed by the 1580s, probably from the idea unmixed;^(Etymonline) Trench notes that Christopher Sly's ''sheer ale'' in ''The Taming of the Shrew'' puzzled early commentators, since sheer once applied to concrete things.^(Trench 1859) Very steep, straight up and down, as ''a sheer cliff'', is from 1800,^(Etymonline) the 18th century in Hoad.^(Hoad 1986) As an adverb it is from about 1600.^(Etymonline) A sheer fabric, as a noun, is American from the mid-20th century.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1200 – free from guilt.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1400 – thin.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1560s – of fabric, diaphanous.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1580s – absolute, utter.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1600 – the adverb.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1800 – perpendicular.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Complete or utter; nothing but: ''sheer folly''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Very steep; nearly perpendicular: ''a sheer cliff''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Of fabric, very thin and almost transparent.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Straight up or down; perpendicularly.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Completely.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A thin, transparent fabric.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sheerly]]

+ * [[sheerness]]

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+ {{homograph|2|swerve}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=1626|origins=nl scheren}}

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+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a nautical word of obscure origin, probably from Low German or Dutch [[m|nl|scheren|t=to withdraw, depart; originally to divide]] (see [[shear]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of a ship, to turn aside or deviate from a course: 1626, in Captain John Smith's ''Accidence''; the 1620s in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The noun, a ship's turning from its course, is from 1670.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) In the general sense, to change one's course, it is from 1704,^(Etymonline) and ''sheer off'' from 1808.^(OED 1989) A different nautical sheer, the upward curve of a ship's deck towards bow and stern, is from 1691, probably from [[shear]].^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1626 – to swerve.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1670 – a swerve (noun).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1691 – the curve of a deck.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1704 – to change course.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To swerve or cause to swerve from a course.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A swerving or deviating course.^(AHD)

+ # The upward curve of a ship's deck or hull towards bow and stern.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[shine]]

+ * [[shear]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}