Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Sheer \Sheer\, n.
   1. (Naut.)
      (a) The longitudinal upward curvature of the deck,
          gunwale, and lines of a vessel, as when viewed from
          the side.
      (b) The position of a vessel riding at single anchor and
          swinging clear of it.

   2. A turn or change in a course.

            Give the canoe a sheer and get nearer to the shore.
                                                  --Cooper.

   3. pl. Shears See {Shear}.

   {Sheer batten} (Shipbuilding), a long strip of wood to guide
      the carpenters in following the sheer plan.

   {Sheer boom}, a boom slanting across a stream to direct
      floating logs to one side.

   {Sheer hulk}. See {Shear hulk}, under {Hulk}.

   {Sheer plan}, or {Sheer draught} (Shipbuilding), a projection
      of the lines of a vessel on a vertical longitudinal plane
      passing through the middle line of the vessel.

   {Sheer pole} (Naut.), an iron rod lashed to the shrouds just
      above the dead-eyes and parallel to the ratlines.

   {Sheer strake} (Shipbuilding), the strake under the gunwale
      on the top side. --Totten.

   {To break sheer} (Naut.), to deviate from sheer, and risk
      fouling the anchor.