c. 1200, "exempt, free from guilt" (as in Sheer Thursday, the Thursday of Holy Week); later schiere "thin, sparse" (c. 1400), from Old English scir "bright, clear, gleaming; translucent; pure, unmixed," and influenced by Old Norse cognate scær "bright, clean, pure," both from Proto-Germanic *skeran- (cognates: Old Saxon skiri, Old Frisian skire, German schier, Gothic skeirs "clean, pure"), from PIE root *(s)ker- (1) "to cut" (see shear (v.)).
Sense of "absolute, utter" (sheer nonsense) developed 1580s, probably from the notion of "unmixed;" that of "very steep" (a sheer cliff) is first recorded 1800, probably from notion of "continued without halting." Meaning "diaphanous" is from 1560s. As an adverb from c. 1600.
sheer (v.)
1620s, "deviate from course" (of a ship), of obscure origin, perhaps from Dutch scheren "to move aside, withdraw, depart," originally "to separate" (see shear (v.)). Related: Sheered; shearing. As a noun from 1660s.
双语例句
1. Talent, hard work and sheer tenacity are all crucial to career success.
事业要成功，才能、勤奋和顽强的意志都至关重要。
来自柯林斯例句
2. A young man plunged from a sheer rock face to his death.
一名男青年从陡峭的岩壁上坠崖身亡。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Some shoppers looked bewildered by the sheer variety of goods on offer.
光是摆在那里的各式商品就让一些购物者晕头转向了。
来自柯林斯例句
4. The hills rise green and sheer above the broad river.
这些小山碧绿陡峭，矗立在这条宽阔的河流之上。
来自柯林斯例句
5. By sheer fluke, one of the shipowner's employees was in the city.
