shear
Pronunciation: [ʃɪr]
Word
Context: “physical action”
(verb) to cut or clip something, usually with scissors or a similar tool. Think about when a barber uses scissors to cut hair or when someone cuts the leaves off a plant.
Example
The gardener sheared the bushes to make them look neat and tidy.
Example
He didn't shear the grass, so it grew too long and looked messy.
Example
Can you shear the paper to make it fit into the scrapbook?
Context: “physical property”
(noun) the act of cutting or the result of cutting something. It's when the material is split or separated, like when you cut a piece of fabric in half.
Example
The shear of the fabric made it easy to cut into the right shapes.
Example
The shear of the rubber was not effective; it remained whole and unchanged.
Example
What is the shear we need for this project?
Context: “engineering”
(noun) a force that causes something to twist or change shape. Imagine when you pull on both ends of a play dough, stretching it out.
Example
The engineer explained that the bridge had to withstand shear from strong winds.
Example
The materials were too weak to handle the shear, causing the structure to fail.
Example
How does shear affect the strength of this material?
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