Online Encyclopedia

Search over 40,000 articles from the original, classic Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Edition.

SHEARS

Online Encyclopedia
Originally appearing in Volume V24, Page 815 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
» Make a correction to this article.
» Add information or comments to this article.
Spread the word: del.icio.us del.icio.us it!

SHEARS , an See also:

implement for cutting or clipping. The O. Eng. sceran, to clip, cut, represents one See also:branch of a very large number of words in Indo-See also:European See also:languages which are to be referred to the See also:root skar-, to cut, and of which may be mentioned Gr. Keipely, See also:Lat. curtus, Eng. " See also:short," " See also:share," " sherd," " See also:score." For cutting See also:cloth " shears " take the See also:form of a large, heavy pair of See also:scissors with two crossed See also:flat See also:blades pivoted together, each with a looped handle for the insertion of the fingers; for clipping or " shearing " See also:sheep the usual form is a single' piece of See also:steel See also:bent See also:round, the ends being shaped into the cutting blades, and the See also:bend or " See also:bow " forming a See also:spring which opens the blades when the pressure used in cutting is released. Another form of the same word, " sheers," is used of an apparatus for hoisting heavy weights, generally known as " sheer-legs." These consist of two or more uprights See also:meeting at the See also:top, where the hoisting tackle is placed, and set wide apart at the bottom. The masting of shipswas formerly carried out from another See also:vessel, a dismasted hulk, hence called a " sheer-hulk," on which the " sheer-legs " were placed (see See also:CRANE). From this word must be distinguished " sheer," straight, precipitous, also See also:absolute, downright; this is to be connected with See also:Dan. skjaer, clear, See also:bright, Ger. schier, See also:free, clear; the root is also seen in O. Eng. scinan, to shine. The nautical phrase " to sheer off," to deviate from a course, is due to a similar Dutch use of scheren, to cut, shear, to cut off a course abruptly.

End of Article: SHEARS

Additional information and Comments

There are no comments yet for this article.
» Add information or comments to this article.
Please link directly to this article:
Highlight the code below, right click, and select "copy." Then paste it into your website, email, or other HTML.
Site content, images, and layout Copyright © 2006 - Net Industries, worldwide.
Do not copy, download, transfer, or otherwise replicate the site content in whole or in part.

Links to articles and home page are always encouraged.

[back]
SHEARER, THOMAS 		[next]
SHEARWATER

Site © 2006 - Net Industries