- Sheer
- Sheer Sheer, n.
1. (Naut.)
(a) The longitudinal upward curvature of the deck,
gunwale, and lines of a vessel, as when viewed from
the side.
(b) The position of a vessel riding at single anchor and
swinging clear of it.
[1913 Webster]
2. A turn or change in a course. [1913 Webster]
Give the canoe a sheer and get nearer to the shore. --Cooper. [1913 Webster]
3. pl. Shears See {Shear}. [1913 Webster]
{Sheer batten} (Shipbuilding), a long strip of wood to guide the carpenters in following the sheer plan.
{Sheer boom}, a boom slanting across a stream to direct floating logs to one side.
{Sheer hulk}. See {Shear hulk}, under {Hulk}.
{Sheer plan}, or {Sheer draught} (Shipbuilding), a projection of the lines of a vessel on a vertical longitudinal plane passing through the middle line of the vessel.
{Sheer pole} (Naut.), an iron rod lashed to the shrouds just above the dead-eyes and parallel to the ratlines.
{Sheer strake} (Shipbuilding), the strake under the gunwale on the top side. --Totten.
{To break sheer} (Naut.), to deviate from sheer, and risk fouling the anchor. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.