Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act or process of removing something by cutting it off or clipping it: "Shearing" refers specifically to the action of cutting or clipping to remove material, most commonly associated with removing the wool from sheep.
   • The result of this action: It can also refer to the wool or material that has been removed by this process.

Usage

• As a noun: "Shearing" is used to describe the activity itself or its product. It is often used in agricultural, textile, and mechanical contexts.
  • The annual shearing of the sheep is hard work.
  • The first shearing of a lamb produces very soft wool.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Shearing requires skill to avoid injuring the animal.
  • The pile of shearing from the flock was ready for cleaning and spinning.
  • Mechanical shearing of metal sheets is a common industrial process.

Advanced Usage

• "In shearing": in the process of being cut off.
  • The sheep were in shearing for most of the morning.
• "Shearing force/stress" (Physics/Engineering): A force that causes or results from layers of a material sliding past each other.
  • The beam failed due to excessive shearing stress.

Variants and Related Words

• Shear (verb): To cut the wool off (a sheep or similar animal); to cut or trim with scissors or shears; to become fractured by shear stress.
  • They will shear the sheep tomorrow.
  • The bolt sheared off under pressure.
• Shearer (noun): A person or machine that shears, especially one that cuts wool from sheep.
  • He is one of the fastest shearers in the region.
• Shears (noun, plural): A cutting tool similar to large scissors, used for shearing sheep, cutting metal, or pruning plants.
  • The gardener used shears to trim the hedge.

Synonyms

• Clipping: The act of cutting off small parts, especially from an animal's coat or hair.
• Fleece removal: The specific action of removing a sheep's wool.
• Trimming: Cutting away unwanted parts.

Related Phrases

• Shearing shed: A building on a farm where sheep are shorn.
  • The wool is sorted in the shearing shed.
• Shearing season: The time of year when sheep are typically shorn.
  • Spring is shearing season in many countries.

Noun

1. removing by cutting off or clipping