An Encylopedia Britannica Company

shear

shear /ˈʃiɚ/ verb
shears; sheared; sheared or shorn /ˈʃoɚn/ ; shearing
shear
/ˈʃiɚ/
verb
shears; sheared; sheared or shorn /ˈʃoɚn/ ; shearing
Britannica Dictionary definition of SHEAR
[+ object]
: to cut the hair, wool, etc., off (an animal)
: to cut off (an animal's hair, wool, etc.) often + off
: to cut off a person's hair usually used as (be) shorn
literary : to take something away from (someone) usually used as (be) shorn

shear off

[phrasal verb]
: to become separated suddenly because of great force
shear (something) off or shear off (something) : to remove (something) with great force

— shearer

noun, plural shearers [count]