Meaning of 'shear'

noun

a large edge tool that cuts sheet metal by passing a blade through it

noun

in physics, a deformation of an object in which parallel planes remain parallel but are shifted in a direction parallel to themselves

Example: "The shear changed the quadrilateral into a parallelogram."

verb

become deformed by forces tending to produce a shearing strain

verb

cut with shears

Example: "shear hedges"

verb

cut or cut through with shears

Example: "shear the wool off the lamb"

verb

shear the wool from

Example: "shear sheep"

Synonyms: fleece