intr. & tr.v. sheered, sheer·ing, sheers To swerve or cause to swerve from a course. n. 1. A swerving or deviating course. 2. a. The upward curve or amount of upward curve of the longitudinal lines of a ship's hull as viewed from the side. b. The position in which a ship at anchor is maintained in order to keep it clear of the anchor. [Probably partly from Low German scheren, to move to and fro (said of boats), and partly from Dutch scheren, to withdraw; see sker-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.