—v. (past sheared; past part. Shorn or sheared) 1 (also absol.) Clip the wool off (a sheep etc.).

- remove or take off by cutting.

- cut with scissors or shears etc.

- (foll. By of) a strip bare. B deprive.

- (often foll. By off) distort, be distorted, or break, from structural strain. —n. - strain produced by pressure in the structure of a substance.

- (in pl.) (also pair of shears sing.) Large scissor-shaped clipping or cutting instrument. shearer n. [old english]

n. - gloss or lustre.

- brightness. sheeny adj. [old english, = beautiful]

n. (pl. Same) 1 mammal with a thick woolly coat, esp. Kept for its wool or meat.

- timid, silly, or easily-led person.

- (usu. In pl.) Member of a minister's congregation. [old english]

—adj. - mere, complete (sheer luck).

- (of a cliff etc.) Perpendicular.

- (of a textile) diaphanous. —adv. Directly, perpendicularly. [old english]

- v. - esp. Naut. Swerve or change course.

- (foll. By away, off) turn away, esp. From a person or topic one dislikes or fears. [origin unknown]

anchor n. - emergency reserve anchor.

- person or thing depended on in the last resort.

- metal n. Metal rolled or hammered etc. Into thin sheets.

- music n. Music published in sheets, not bound.

- —n. - large rectangle of cotton etc. Used esp. In pairs as inner bedclothes.

- broad usu. Thin flat piece of paper, metal, etc.

- wide expanse of water, ice, flame, falling rain, etc.

- page of unseparated postage stamps.

- derog. Newspaper. —v. - provide or cover with sheets.

- form into sheets.

- (of rain etc.) Fall in sheets. [old english]

- n. Rope or chain attached to the lower corner of a sail to hold or control it. [old english: related to *sheet1]

n. (pl. Shelves) 1 wooden etc. Board projecting from a wall, or as part of a unit, used to store things.

- a projecting horizontal ledge in a cliff face etc. B reef or sandbank. on the shelf 1 (of a woman) regarded as too old to hope for marriage.

- (esp. Of a retired person) put aside as if no longer useful. [low german]

contr. She will; she shall.

- —n. - a hard outer case of many molluscs, the tortoise, etc. B hard but fragile case of an egg. C hard outer case of a nut-kernel, seed, etc.

- a explosive projectile for use in a big gun etc. B hollow container for fireworks, cartridges, etc.

- shell-like thing, esp.: a a light racing-boat. B the metal framework of a vehicle etc. C the walls of an unfinished or gutted building, ship, etc. —v. - remove the shell or pod from.

- bombard with shells. come out of one's shell become less shy. Shell out (also absol.) Colloq. Pay (money). shell-less adj. Shell-like adj. [old english]

n. = *potsherd. [old english]

past & past part. Of *shy2.

compar. Of *shy1.