SHEER

sheer. Sheer, a. clear, pure, real; ad. clean, quick

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Sheer (?), a. [[OE. shere, skere, pure, bright, Icel. sk�rr; akin to skīrr, AS. scīr, OS. skīri, MHG. schīr, G. schier, Dan. sk�r, Sw. skär, Goth. skeirs clear, and E. shine. √157. See Shine, v. i.]] 1. 1. Bright; clear; pure; unmixed. “Sheer ale.” Shak.
Thou sheer, immaculate, and silver fountain. Shak. 2. 2. Very thin or transparent; — applied to fabrics; as, sheer muslin.
3. 3. Being only what it seems to be; obvious; simple; mere; downright; as, sheer folly; sheer nonsense. “A sheer impossibility.” De Quincey.
It is not a sheer advantage to have several strings to one's bow. M. Arnold. 4. 4. Stright up and down; vertical; prpendicular.
A sheer precipice of a thousand feet. J. D. Hooker. It was at least Nine roods of sheer ascent. Wordsworth.