[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/shear/) [dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [S](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/s/) / shear # shear verb (shear, shears, sheared, shorn or sheared, shearing); noun (shears = big scissors; shear in science) «shear» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova. ## Everyday 1. To shear a sheep is to cut off its wool. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shear/#m1) 2. To shear can mean to cut or break something off, often by a strong sideways force: the bolt sheared off. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shear/#m2) 3. Shears (plural) are large scissors for cutting hedges, grass or wool. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shear/#m3) 4. (science) Shear is a force that pushes parts of something sideways in opposite directions, like rubbing your hands together. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shear/#m4) ### In the lessons Farming and everyday life: sheep shearing happens in spring in New Zealand, Australia, the UK and Ireland; shearers can shear hundreds of sheep a day. Gardening: hedge shears. Science and engineering: shear forces can snap bolts or make rocks slide in an earthquake; «wind shear» is dangerous for planes. ### Examples - The farmer will shear the sheep in spring. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shear/#x1) - The sheep looked tiny after it was shorn. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shear/#x2) - Grandpa trims the hedge with garden shears. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shear/#x3) - The strong wind sheared a branch off the tree. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shear/#x4) - Sheep shearing is a big sport in New Zealand. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shear/#x5) - In science we learned how shear forces break things. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shear/#x6) - The shearers worked fast all day. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shear/#x7) ### Note Homophone trap: «shear» (cut) sounds like «sheer» (very steep; complete; see-through, as in sheer curtains). Past participle: shorn (for sheep or hair) or sheared (for metal). «Shears» is plural like «scissors»: «a pair of shears». ## In Jewish tradition To shear is to cut the wool off sheep. In Isaiah it also appears inside a name: Shear-jashub, Isaiah's son, which means "a remnant shall return." **Interpretation.** The law not to shear a firstling animal teaches that it is holy to God and cannot be used for the owner's profit. The name Shear-jashub is read as a promise that some of Israel will come back to God. ### Examples - Now Laban was gone to shear his sheep. (Torah GEN.31.19, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/shear/#x1) - And it was told Tamar, saying: 'Behold, thy father-in-law goeth up to Timnah to shear his sheep.' (Torah GEN.38.13, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/shear/#x2) - All the firstling males that are born of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God; thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thine ox, nor shear the firstling of thy flock. (Torah DEU.15.19, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/shear/#x3) - Then said the LORD unto Isaiah: 'Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-jashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, in the highway of the fullers' field; (Prophets ISA.7.3, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/shear/#x4) ### Note Homophone trap: «shear» (cut) sounds like «sheer» (very steep; complete; see-through, as in sheer curtains). Past participle: shorn (for sheep or hair) or sheared (for metal). «Shears» is plural like «scissors»: «a pair of shears». ## On Mova - [Trees and pragmatics of «shear» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shear/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«shear» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/shear.html) on Mova free. - [Trees and pragmatics of «shear» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/shear/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«shear» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/shear.html) on Mova free.